


Shades of the Past

by thiswilldrivemecrazy



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Brainwashing, Clintasha - Freeform, F/M, Sparring, black hawk - Freeform, fluff later on, there's a bit of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-11-20 00:59:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 75,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/579553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thiswilldrivemecrazy/pseuds/thiswilldrivemecrazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set MCU-ish, a few years down the track from Avengers. Black Widow and Hawkeye get sent on mission to investigate a sighting of the Winter Soldier, but it's not as simple as it initially seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tensions

**Author's Note:**

> This began as an RP on Omegle (with darlingnickyta from tumblr), and continued by email and I haven't edited it too much from the original. The first chapter or so might be a little disjointed, but it gets better. I thought I'd put it up because it was a lot of fun to write. If I've missed any typos, let me know!

Natasha was on edge. She was used to being on separate missions from Clint. As SHIELD's best, it was just more efficient to split them up to get more work done. Usually, she had no problem with it unless it was a long-term op. This time, however, she was disconcerted and irritable. She'd return from her mission to find that Clint had been sent out for an undercover operation. It was par for course, but it was the cover that made her teeth grind; a married couple, with Agent Bobbi Morse. The blonde had always been taken with him, and it irritated Natasha more than she'd like to admit. With Stark's help, she hacked into SHIELD's files to stay updated on the op until they returned. It was several days of a disagreeable Natasha, and other Avengers knew to stay out of her way.

Clint arrived back at base after a successful mission with Bobbi. He was happy. Much happier than he usually was after an undercover mission, but then Bobbi was a far cry from Natasha. He and Bobbi went their separate ways after arriving back on base. Clint returned to his rooms and dumped his kit, wondering where the others were. He keyed a query into the computer terminal in the wall to see if

Natasha was in and grinned when he saw she was. He tapped out a quick message asking if she wanted to meet up in the rec room.  
The irritation and tension that had been building up within her for the past several days had only been vented through sessions in the training room or the shooting range. She practically had to bully Steve into sparring with her, and he'd been reluctant to use all his strength. She was a tempest when they fought, and if he hadn't been a supersoldier, she might have done quite a number on him. She was just finishing up a hot shower when she received a message from Clint. Thanks to her file access, she knew that he made all his check points and succeeded in his op. The thought of him playing husband to Mockingbird made her stomach turn. The Red Room had trained her to take her emotions, assess them and put them to good use. This raw, jagged feeling that spiked through her as she thought of them together was foreign, and she wasn't sure what to do with. It made her sick. Reluctantly, she agreed to meet him though she took her time while doing it.

Clint was surprised at the terseness of Natasha's reply. He wondered what had gone wrong while he was away. He took a quick shower and changed clothes before heading to the rec room. He got there before she did and grabbed a drink from the fridge before perching on top of the back of the couch and channel surfing on the television until Natasha got there.

She arrived some moments after, dressed comfortably in a pair of dark wash jeans and a tank top. Seeing him for the first time in weeks made her heart swell with relief. The other drawback to separate missions meant they went stretches of time without seeing each other. The relief was short-lived when she remembered who he was with. "Welcome back," she greeted him simply.

Clint grinned when he saw her and slid off the couch. "Tash!" He walked over and hugged her.

It surprised to see how happily he greeted her, and she forgot that he didn't know that she was so cross. She supposed no one had had a chance to warn him of her foul mood. Before she knew it, she was engulfed in his warm embrace. There was a moment when she relaxed into him, hugging him back, before she stiffened. "How was your mission?" she asked tightly.

Clint was surprised when she stiffened. What was wrong with her? He had wanted to wait for her to return before heading out on the mission, but the orders had come down from up high, and the timing wasn't right. He let go of her and stepped back, trying, and failing, to read her expression. "It was fine. Went off without a hitch. Bobbi's..."

At the mention of Mockingbird's name, her eyes flashed angrily. Natasha stalked past him under the pretense that she was going to get herself something to drink. "Didn't realize you two were so familiar with one another," she bit out, unable to help herself. She felt out of control, and it drove her crazy. She couldn't get a handle on her situation or her emotions. "But I guess playing house together fixed that right up, didn't it?"

Clint frowned. Playing house together? He watched Natasha walk over to the fridge and could see she was tense. He followed her to the fridge. "I was about to say, 'Bobbi's not you, so it was a bit odd'," he said. "Are you ok?"

She opened the fridge with a little more force than necessary. She reached in to grab ab ottle of water although she wished for something strong. Natasha couldn't look at him. "I'm fine," she answered tightly. Slamming the door shut, she turned away from him and tried to take deep breaths. She was acting crazy and irrational. This wasn't her.

Clint stepped up behind her and tried to hug her again. He still didn't know what he had done wrong. Her tone of voice made him want to run, but he knew that wouldn't help at all. "You're not fine, Nat," he said. "You're angry at something, and I'm afraid that it's me..."

His arms enveloped her once more, and she was torn between shoving him away and melting into his embrace. She had a tight grip on her water bottle, and the only thing she could think of was Morse and Clint being blissfully in love, cover or not. "She's in love with you," she blurted out, the words spilling past her lips.

Clint frowned. "Nat, it was just a cover..."

"She is," she said with a scowl. There was that hot, angry feeling burning in her chest. It made her head hurt and her stomach turn. "I've seen the way she looks at you."

Clint turned Natasha around gently so that he could look at her. "So you're angry at her? Not me?" He turned her around to face him, but Natasha refused to look at him. Instead, she stared resolutely at his shoulder. She had no answer, not right away, not one that made sense. She was angry, incredibly so, and she was something else. She didn't know how to voice it into words. "I don't want to talk about this," she said finally.

Clint tried to get her to look at his face, but she wouldn't. It made him feel worried. He'd never seen her like this and he didn't like it. He didn't know what to do about it. She was usually so happy to discuss missions they'd been sent on when they weren't together, and the only thing that had changed this time was that he'd been sent out with Mockingbird. Was she... was the Black Widow jealous? "You know that I'm yours, don't you?" His tone was almost pleading. How did he reassure someone he never thought would care about his mission partners that nothing had happened between Hawkeye and Mockingbird?

Natasha had a stony expression, refusing to meet his gaze. When Clint told her that he was hers, she finally flicked her gaze to his face and searched his expression. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line, silent for a few moments. She couldn't figure out what to say. She couldn't even figure out what was going on with her.

Clint attempted to do his best impersonation of Rogers' puppy-dog-eyes, but he didn't think it would work on her. He'd seen that expression on her face before, and he didn't like it being turned on him. He hugged her again, and kissed the top of her head.  
Had she been in a better mood, she might have laughed at his attempt. Instead, there was only a slight, unconscious twitch of her lips. Clint hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. She remained in his embrace, unmoving for several long moments, before she finally spoke again. "I don't like thinking of her with you," she said quietly.

"Nothing happened, Tash. I swear. The cover was just that. A cover." Clint decided a change in topic would be best. "How'd your mission go?"

It took her a moment to absorb the words. She trusted Clint, but she couldn't deny that Bobbi coveted him. Natasha sighed against him. "It went south towards the end. Almost got made, but I got out with the information Fury wanted. Nothing but a few bumps and scrapes in the end."

"Are you ok?" In his experience a description of 'a few bumps and scrapes' from her could be anything from a grazed knee, to 'I almost lost an arm'.

"Dislocated my shoulder, but I popped it back in before extraction," she answered him dutifully. Natasha finally looked up at him, still looking fairly unhappy. "I'm sorry I'm being so crazy. I don't--I don't know what's wrong with me."

Clint smiled - a genuine smile, not his usual smartass smirk, nor his 'I'm only smiling on the outside' expression. "No need to apologise. We all have off days. What'd I miss here while I was out?"

There was the urge to making a biting reply, referencing that while he was out really meant while he was out married to Morse. She let the words die on her tongue and answered a little sullenly. "Bullied the rest of the team mostly. I haven't been the best company."  
He could hear the tone of her anger still in her voice. "I did want to wait for you to get back, you know that, right?" What he didn't want to admit to her was that his favourite cover with her was that of the young married couple, but he felt that this would be a bad thing to mention at this time. "But things had to be sped up, and Bob... Mockingbird was the only one around who fit the cover that had been developed."

She sighed again. Clint was so apologetic, trying to soothe her. It was hard to stay mad at someone who wasn't fighting back. She begrudgingly nodded, understanding on the surface that it made sense even if it didn't make her happy. "How did the mission go?" she asked a little sullenly.

"Possibly a little too smoothly," he said. He wandered back over to the couch. "The marks never saw us coming, and we almost didn't need the extraction." He returned to his perch on the top of the back of the couch.

Natasha followed after him, settling on the couch. "You sound worried," she commented as she tried to ignore the thought of Bobbi playing the part of his wife. the idea didn't sit well. It wasn't right.

Clint shrugged. "I guess it's nothing. Things didn't seem too out of place and we got all the intel, so unless it was really a setup, it doesn't really matter. Does it?"

"We'll find out if it was bad intel or not soon enough, I guess," she agreed as she curled up closer to him. Her head rested against his legs. Natasha felt awful for being so difficult with him. She hadn't seen him in weeks, and it wasn't how she wanted to start off their reunion like that.

He smiled and ruffled her hair. It was good to see the usual Natasha back again. He didn't like seeing her angry when they were on base together. It was too much like being on the receiving end of the Black Widow's rage when they were in the field. "Where're they sending you next?" he asked.

"Don't know yet," she answered him. Fury wanted to give her time for her shoulder to heal, but she was back at one hundred percent. Natasha inwardly rebelled at the thought of being separated from Clint so soon. "What about you?"

"No word yet, but I only got back an hour ago," Clint replied. "I'm tempted to ask if there's any paired missions going."

"Why?" she asked quickly, glancing up at him with a measured look. "Ready to go out and play husband again?"

Clint realised what he'd just said. Crap. Of course she'd jump to the conclusion that he wanted to go back out with Bobbi, especially while she was in this mood. What he'd really meant was that he wanted to go out with her, but in this mood, would she believe him? "I meant with you, Tasha," he said.

Clint really didn't know how to respond to that. They'd used the young married couple cover before, and it had been fun, but with the mood she was in now, was there any safe answer he could give. He had never really pictured her as the marrying kind, but with her face buried against his leg, he couldn't read her expression.

Natasha didn't received an answer, and after a few moments, she pulled away to look up at him. Marriage wasn't something she thought about. Then again, she never thought she'd find herself in a relationship. She had a tentative look on her face as she wondered if maybe Clint didn't see her as the wife material.

Clint was surprised by her expression. It was almost hope. Almost, but not quite. He ran a hand nervously through his hair, before giving her a half smirk. "Are you asking me to marry you?" he teased. "Seriously, though, Nat, you know how I feel about you."

"No," she shook her head at him with a scoff. Did he even want to marry her? Natasha hadn't thought about these things too deeply. Her lips dipped into a slight frown as she egged him on, wanting to hear it. "And how exactly do you feel about me, Barton?"

"I love you, Nat. You know that," Clint said. He was half surprised to find that he actually meant it. Expressions of strong feelings weren't their usual topic of conversation. He'd known he'd had feelings for her for a long time, but they'd never really spoken about it. They were happy in their relationship and feelings were, well, compromising.

It was easy to be together when they hadn't spoken their feelings aloud. Actions spoke louder than words, and how they felt about each other were often explained in the ways they took care of each other. Finally hearing him tell her that he loved her made something switch inside of her, and it eased the pressure in her chest at the thought of him with Morse. Her expression softened, almost vulnerable. "You do?" she asked carefully.

Clint ran a hand through his hair again. "I do."

She was silent for a long moment before her hand reached up to lace through his. "Clint," she said gently. "I love you too." The admission was a powerful one, and she knew she was compromised. Natasha knew that she'd been compromised long enough, but now she was just finally admitting to it.

Clint smiled. He squeezed her hand before sliding down off the back of the couch to sit next to her. "You know if anyone else finds out, they'll send us to opposite ends of the Earth for good, right?"

Natasha moved to curl against him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. "I know," she said quietly. There was protocol in place. Agents were preferred not to fraternize with one another. Still, it didn't stop the way they felt about one another.

Clint smiled. It was odd to find her so cuddly, but then it was odd to see her expressing any emotion. He was used to the straight down the line professionalism that she usually practiced, where if she glared at you, it wasn't because she didn't like you, it was just who she was. He rested his head on hers only to be startled and jump away from Natasha when someone waltzed into the room, saying, "Hey, guys," before walking over to the fridge and rummaging in it for something.

Natasha had missed Clint terribly, and it had only been blunted by her irritation about his mission. She knew it was stupid to get compromised like this. Fury would be highly unhappy were he to find out. Knowing and doing were two different things, and now that their feelings were out in the open, there was no resisting. They jerked from one another when they weren't alone, and her cool, professional demeanor was back in pace.

Clint was glad it hadn't been Bobbi to walk into the room. He didn't think Natasha would have reacted very well. "Hey, Banner."

Bruce pulled a drink out of the fridge and wandered over to sit on the other end of the couch. He looked at the television screen and gave a nervous smile. Clint's channel surfing had left it running on a lifestyle channel, which had just started showing 'Don't tell the Bride'. Banner stared at his drink for a moment before saying. "Wouldn't've pick the pair of you to, uh, enjoy watching something like this," he said.

Bruce was probably the best person to walk in on them, next to Steve. Had it been anyone else, particularly Stark, they would've never heard the end of it. Her attention was drawn to the television when he pointed it out, and she was thankful that she was trained in schooling her expression because it figured that of all things, it would be a bridal show. Dryly, she cut a look to Clint. "Clint is trying to figure out what dress to get for his wedding," she remarked easily.

Bruce did nothing more than raise an eyebrow diplomatically and nod. "Uhhuh. You'd look pretty in that one," he said, fighting to keep a straight face as a rather hideous one with alternating purple and pink ruffles was shown on the screen. 

Clint laughed. "You've been spending too much time around Stark," he replied. "If we're assigning dresses, you'd look pretty in that one, Nat," he added as a streamlined strapless ballgown-style dress was shown. 

The tension in the air lifted as Bruce went along with them. Natasha wasn't sure whether he believed them or not, but it didn't matter. She resolutely stuck with her story. Smirking at the two of them, she glanced at the dress Clint pointed out, and she had to admit that it was lovely. She enjoyed fashion and clothes as much as the next girl despite her penchant for action and adventure. There was a strange longing in her chest as she thought about wearing it. Her expression faltered for a sake before her smirk was back in place. "I'd have to find someone dumb enough to marry me first," she answered easily.

Clint didn't know how to reply to that. As soon as he'd said it, he'd regretted it, but the words were out in the open now. One of these days he'd learn to think before he spoke. "Want me to change the channel?" he asked, wanting to change the topic.

Natasha shrugged as she got comfortable on the couch. "If you're into the bridal shows, Clint, knock yourself out," she told him with a lazy smile though there was slightly gentleness to her tone to let him know that she was fine.

Clint flicked through a few channels until he found an action movie. Mindless explosions, and picking apart the fight scenes was always fun, and anything was better than watching bridal shows with someone he cared about so much, but knew he would likely never marry.   
If Natasha knew that Clint wanted to marry her, things may be different, but they were both stubborn and uncertain when it came to the big topics. The action droned on, and she snorted at the unrealistic fire fights. Her hand rested next to her on the couch, fingers brushing lightly against his.

"Is something, uh, wrong with you two?" Bruce asked. "You're usually a lot more talkative through these kinds of movies." He'd noticed that they were sitting closer than usual. "I might just leave you to it," he said, standing up.   
"Nothing's wrong," she glanced at Clint innocently as if nothing was amiss. They were almost acting like teenagers, and she had to admit that she was a little relieved when Bruce stood to take his leave. Natasha wasn't sure what to say, so instead she gave him a nod and a slight smile.

Bruce returned the smile and left the rec room. He ran into Bobbi in the corridor. "Have you seen Clint around?" she asked.   
"Yeah. In the rec room, but I'd give them some space for now."  
"Them? Oh, Black Widow?" Bobbi looked thoughtful.   
Bruce nodded. "They haven't seen eahother for weeks. Walking in on them watching a bridal program is an interesting experience."  
"Oh. I might catch up with Clint later, then." she tried to sound happy, but she couldn't quite hide the disappointment in her voice. "You know in the brief downtime we got on the mission, he couldn't not talk about her," she said, following Bruce along the corridor. "I know they're best friends and like the ultimate partners, but what's a girl got to do to get a break around him?"   
Bruce diplomaticallly didn't reply. 

Clint put an arm back around Natasha's shoulders as soon as Bruce had left the room, and Natasha relaxed into it. She curled up against him and gave a soft sigh. They were making things complicated by trying to pursue something, but she didn't want to be without him. "At least it wasn't Stark," she said lightly, leaning forward to brush her lips along his temple. "We wouldn't have heard the end of it."

"If he gossips, we might not hear the end of it anyway. I think he's been spending far too much  time around Stark," Clint replied. He smiled as her lips brushed against his temple and turned to rest his forehead against hers. 

"Bad influence," she snorted. Stark and Banner were practically inseparable at times especially when they were in the lab. Natasha gazed into Clint's eyes. "What are we going to do, Clint?" she asked, biting her lip in concern. "We work with an agency full of spies. How long can we hide this from them?"

Clint frowned slightly. It was a very good point. "We are the best, though," he said. "If we can't keep a secret, what hope does anyone else have?" He tried to sound more hopeful than he actually felt. 

"I don't want to lose you," she told him honestly. The emotion was raw and genuine. It was hard enough being on separate ops for long periods of time, but to permanently separate them? Natasha wondered if Fury would be so cruel. It was possible to get permission to be in a relationship, but the paperwork was long and boring, and

"Maybe Clint and Natasha can be in a relationship, but Hawkeye and Black Widow can't," Clint said. It wasn't as though they were new to compartmentalizing their emotions. 

"Hawkeye probably couldn't handle Black Widow anyway," she teased him gently. Natasha pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, nuzzling him. 

"I think that's a challenge," Clint muttered. 

"You always did like a challenge," Natasha chuckled at him.

Clint kissed her and then sighed. He could hear a group of recruits wandering down the corridor. "We're never going to get any peace, are we?"

"Tonight," she promised him. Natasha stood up, looking reluctant. "Whenever Fury is done with you for the day, come to my room."

Clint stood up as well and nodded. "I will take you up on that." His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. "Speaking of the pirate, I'm being summoned for debriefing." He rolled his eyes. "Tonight. I promise." He hugged her briefly before the group of recruits made it into the room. Once he let her go, he headed off to debriefing.

Natasha savored the hug before they were forced to separate. While Clint was busy with his debriefing, Hill roped her in to help break in the new recruits in the training room. They were reasonably intimidated and awed by her skills, and it ended up being a good stretching of her abilities. By the time evening rolled around, she was debating dinner as she made her way to her room.


	2. Mission accepted

The debriefing had been much like any other; boring and, in Clint's opinion, pointless. He understood their usefulness, he just didn't like losing the better part of a day to them. As they were walking out, of the meeting room, Bobbi asked, "Do you want to meet in the mess for dinner?"  
Clint thought about it for a moment before replying, "No, I've already promised Tash that we'd catch up and share stories. Sorry."  
"Oh, you and Romanov?" Bobbi asked, trying to figure out what she could learn about their relationship. "Are you? I mean it's none of my business..."   
Clint had to hide his surprise. Were they that obvious? "No. Not that. We're friends. We haven't had a chance to catch up in a couple of months. Individual missions, and all that." He hoped the story was plausible.   
"Ah. I'd love to hear some of Romaov's stories. Maybe I could..."  
Clint shook his head. "Sorry, Bobbi, nor this time." He at least had enough sense to know Nat would likely kill him if he invited Bobbi along. He'd probably save her the trouble and jump off the Helicarrier himself. "I'll catch you later, ok?" He smiled and waved and walked off towards his rooms. He pulled his phone out as he was walking and sent a message to Natasha. Where are you at? If they had time, he could really use a bite to eat. 

My room. Just got out of the shower.

Natasha was dressed comfortably. Instead of her black catsuit uniform, she wore a pair of fitting jeans and a tank top since she wasn't expected to do anymore work for the day. Receiving the text message from Clint had put a smile on her face. Once she was dressed and somewhat made up, she was in a better mood than she had been earlier. It was good to have Clint back, and the shower helped wash away her irrational feelings. Feeling a little more sensible, she added to her text,   
Dinner?

Clint smiled and sent a message back Sure. Gimme ten to shower and change and I'll meet you at the mess?

I'll see you there, Hawk.

It gave her some time to head down there, but she was momentarily distracted by Stark who couldn't help but talk her ear off. There was a smirk on his face as he asked her about Barton's return, but she didn't give him any slack. Natasha remained calm and stony faced although it was enough for him. He'd seen what a state she'd been in while Clint had been on his undercover op with Morse. 

Clint sat at his, well, -their- usual table in the mess hall. It was a booth in the farthest corner from both the entrance and the serving area. He'd had to chase a bunch of junior agents away, but it hadn't been hard. It was common knowledge that that was the Avengers' chosen table. He checked his watch a couple of times, wondering where Nat was. It was unlike her to be even a couple of minutes late. 

When she reached the mess, she spied Clint at their table, the one the Avengers usually claimed for themselves. She approached him and offered him an apologetic look when she joined him. "Stark wanted to chat," she explained to him, exasperation tinting her features.

He smiled when he saw her  "What about?" he asked. 

She took a seat across from him, looking for all the world like the best friends and partners they were. "He wanted to see if I've seen you yet," she said with a shrug though she smiled back at him.

"And what did you say?" Clint folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. If Stark suspected any attachement between them, they'd never keep it secret, and they'd never hear the end of it.

"I told him you had your hands full with Morse for the debriefing," she answered with a shrug. It was the truth though she'd conveniently left out that they'd already met. "Then I threatened to give him a firsthand look at my Widow's Bite if he didn't leave me alone.'

Clint cringed. He had experienced the Widow's Bite first hand more than once. He picked up the food list for today (you couldn't really call it a menu, since it just listed what was in the heated servers) and scanned it. He sighed. Same old stuff. "What do you want?" he asked. "You get the drinks, I'll get the food?"

"Surprise me," she said as she moved to stand. Her hand casually reached out to brush against his under the guise of putting away the food list. "What do you want to drink?"

Clint grinned. "Surprise me," he echoed. He wandered over to the servery and gathered their meals. He took a selection of each of the different dishes and a couple of spare plates. They might as well have a bit of variety while it was available. He returned to the table.   
As he was sitting down, he heard Stark's voice sing out across the mess hall. "Barton, good to see you back in one piece!"

Natasha chuckled lightly as they went their separate ways. Natasha got them both bottles of water, but knowing that Clint liked his caffeine, she got him a soda as well. He was back at the table first, and when she approached, she heard Stark's voice ring through the room. It made her clench her water bottle tighter as she calmly settled down. Any emotion might betray her, so she simply busied herself with making a plate of food.

"Thanks, Tash," Clint said, as he opened the soda. "Did you mention you were coming down here to Stark?"  he muttered before Tony arrived at the table. As Tony sat down, he forced himself to smile. "Still annoying people around here, tin man?" he asked. "Thought you would be up in your ivory tower tinkering with your suit."  
Tony laughed. "Good to see you too, Legolas. I got called in for 'consulting' by Fury. Got some reports on a new player with a bionic arm and as the residing expert on robotics, he wanted my opinion."

"I mentioned getting dinner and keeping an appointment," she murmured in return. Tony joined them, smiling widely at the both of them. Natasha allowed the two of them to talk as she pointedly ignored Stark as if he wasn't even there, still annoyed from their earlier encounter. It was hard to stay completely impassive because his next reveal of information had her freezing in her seat. She stiffened and cut her gaze to him. "What reports?" she demanded.

Tony paused midway through reaching for a bread roll off the tray and looked at Natasha curiously. He shrugged. "Dunno. A mission went south. Both our agents made it back alive, but they reported the cause had been an enemy agent with a metal arm. That's all that Fury told me, anyway."   
Clint looked at Natasha and frowned slightly trying to silently ask her what was wrong. Of all the news to surprise her, Clint had not expected it to be something about a strangely armed enemy agent. 

Her appetite suddenly dissipated. To keep from alarming them, she pushed her food around on the plate as a pretense though her mind kept wandering back to the piece of news. She wanted so badly to get up and talk to Fury about this. She gave Clint a silent reassuring look to let him know things were fine even though they weren't. "Do you know what the mission was?" she asked coolly, taking a sip from her water bottle.

Tony shook his head. "Nope. Fury was employing his usual 'If Stark asks, don't tell'. Why so curious, Nat?"  
Clint didn't entirely trust her look, but trusted her enough not to push the issue. He'd ask her again when Stark had left.   
￼

"New enemy with a super arm? Shouldn't we all be be concerned about that?" she countered easily, looking unruffled. Natasha couldn't hold back her burning curiosity any longer, so she quickly stood up. She gave Clint a quick apologetic look since she knew they were supposed to be spending time together, but the look she gave him clearly say to meet in her room later to make up for it. "I have to go. Forgot I had a report due to Fury by the end of the day."

Clint got the message and nodded. He sighed as she left.   
"Why she leave in such a rush?" Tony asked.   
"Dunno." Clint wasn't really in the mood to talk with Tony. Especially not after he'd effectively chased Natasha away.   
"So you and her...?"  
"We're friends, Stark," Clint replied, a little too harshly. "Friends who haven't seen each other in sometime and just wanted to catch up." He pushed the tray towards Tony. "You hungry?" Clint stood up. He didn't really want to eat with Stark. Not when Tash was behaving so strangely. If he knew her, she was going to go and confront Fury about the intel Stark had just given them. If he hurried, he might be able to catch up with her before she got there. 

Natasha moved with purpose. Her mind was focused solely on the information Stark shared with her. While she understood that there was a chance that it couldn't possibly be, she knew that bionic arms aren't exactly run of the mill. Her insides churned tempestuously, and she wasn't sure how to feel. Things that she thought she laid to rest were suddenly being uncovered, making her confused and unsure.

Clint ran to the corridor, and looked in either direction. He saw a flash of Natasha's red hair headed in the direction of Fury's office and ran after her, scattering a group of junior agents who had just come off shift and were headed to the mess for a meal. He called out to her as he tried to catch up. "Nat! Wait up!"  
He wasn't sure what was wrong, but he knew he wanted to help. He hoped he could help.

Normally, hearing Clint and having him around was something that brightened her day. This time, it made her falter. He knew her past, of course, but there were things that she didn't go into great detail about, particularly her past with the Winter Soldier. Natasha paused reluctantly and waited for him to catch up.

Clint was relieved when he saw her stop. He had thought for a moment that she would just keep walking. "Hey," he said when he caught up. "Did Stark really annoy you that much this afternoon? Or was it what he said at the table?"

Natasha debated lying to him. Gazing up at his face, she knew it was an option, but he looked so earnest and concerned that she couldn't. Clint hadn't done anything but adore her. "A little bit of both," she admitted after a few beats of silence.

Clint wanted to hug her, - he had rarely seen her this tense, and it both worried him and made him curious - but there were too many people around. "Do you want to talk about it? What's so special about a guy with a robotic arm?"

"He's... He's someone I used to know. From before," she said falteringly. Natasha wasn't sure how much to tell him. It wasn't easy for her to think of even after all these years. It still hurt, and she was sure it wouldn't be easy for him to hear about it.

He held her shoulders and made sure she was meeting his gaze before replying, "Before you go marching off to Fury demanding answers, you need to calm down. Be Black Widow, not Natasha." It felt weird to be the voice of reason. She was usually the one reining him in from his shenanigans, but he could tell she was distressed about the news. "Let's go and find somewhere quiet, and alone, and you can tell me about it ..." His voice trailed off as his pager buzzed.   
Barton, report to Briefing Room 12. ~ C   
"Not now..." A second message came through.   
And bring Romanov with you. ~ C   
Clint looked around the corridor, and pinned the cameras Coulson was using to spy on them. He was suddenly more relieved that he had not hugged her.   
"Phil wants to see us," he said.

Natasha knew that Clint was right. She needed to be objective about this. She was trying to get her head on straight even if she was reluctant to fill him in on the whole story. Whether it was her saving grace that Coulson wanted to see them, she wasn't sure, but she gave a swift nod of her head. "We better not keep him waiting then. He gets cranky when we're late," she said lightly.

Clint nodded. They both knew that one all too well. He walked with her to the briefing room and opened the door for her. Coulson was sitting at the table. A manilla file and a tablet lay on the table in front of him. The manilla folder had a rather ominous CLOSED printed across the front in red ink. "Take a seat," Coulson said. 

The moment they entered the briefing room, Natasha expression shuttered, and she was Agent Romanov, the Black Widow. She took a seat calmly at the table although her eyes lingered on the manila folder that laid between them. Lifting her gaze to their handler, she gave him a simple now of greeting. "Sir," she said.

Coulson noticed the change in her behavior. Well, rumors like this would shake anyone. He hated to think how he would react if someone dug up his past. He needed to have a word with Stark about gossip mongering, though the likelihood of Stark knowing what this news would mean to Natasha was limited.   
Clint knew what her change in attitude meant - she knew more about this than she was telling him. Clint sat in the chair next to her and leaned back. "'Sup, Phil?" he asked.   
￼

Clint always took the casual, laid back approach. He sat comfortably in his chair while Natasha was the image of professionalism and readiness. Evenly, she questioned, "Are we being sent on a mission?" She wasn't sure how felt about being sent after the Winter Soldier, but she knew that she'd prefer it to be her than anyone else. It would be regrettable if she had to drag Clint with her.

"You are, yes. And I suspect you already have an idea what it's about." Coulson slid the folder across the table to Clint and passed Natasha the tablet. "Press play. This footage was captured two weeks ago, actually from Stark going and interfering with something Rhodey was handling. Stark found the footage odd enough to actually bother reporting it, thankfully."  
Clint flicked through the folder. It detailed the activities of Steve's friend, James Barnes, but what'd this have to do with the man with a bionic arm? And why was Tash so uptight about it all? Hadn't Barnes died in WWII?

Natasha took the tablet in her hands, taking a deep breath, before she pressed play. Immediately, the machine went to work and there, in plain view was the man that had once haunted her dreams for the longest time until she laid his memory to rest. His visage was harsher than she remembered, angry and fierce, but she would recognize him anywhere. His arm, silver with the red star emblazoned on his bicep. Wordlessly, she passed the tablet to Clint and stared at Coulson evenly. "You want us to neutralize him, sir?" she asked quietly.

Coulson shook his head. "Not at this stage. I want you to find out why he's appeared on our RADAR again, after so long. The last reports of the Winter Soldier were during the Cold War." Coulson pointed to the tablet and then to Clint, indicating that he should see the footage too. "You're the best we've got, and you know how he operates. Bring him in, if you can."

Bringing him in. That's what SHIELD wanted from her. Natasha wasn't even sure if she would've been able to take Barnes out. Bringing him in would complicate things, particularly with Clint, but she knew it was something that needed to be done. She nodded at Coulson, accepting the mission. Like SHIELD, she wanted to know how he suddenly reappeared. She'd seen him long after the Cold War, knowing that he was still around and interacting with both the Red Room and the KGB. They were the ones that split the two of them up after all. She moved to stand. "Permission to leave immediately, sir?"

Coulson rested his arms on the table. "I've no doubts on your professionalism, Black Widow, but I need to know that Natasha can deal with this. We know you've got a past to deal with with him." Coulson used both her handle and her name to highlight his concern for her.   
Clint watched their exchange with interest. A past with him? There was still so much about Natasha that he didn't know. When she asked about leaving immediately, he had to stop himself from objecting. He had only just returned, after all, but he'd follow Tash, anyway. He got the feeling she was going to need backup on this. 

She knew that Coulson was only concerned about her. Like Clint, he cared about her, and there so few people in this world that felt that way about her. Natasha gave him a slow nod to let him know that she could handle this. "I'll bring him in, sir, just like you asked," she assured him. After a beat, she glanced over at Clint before expression her concern for him to Coulson. "Sir, Agent Barton just returned off an op. Are you sure you want to send him out so soon?"

"Agent Barton can handle going back out again," Clint replied, half teasing Natasha for her formal speech by speaking in third person.   
Coulson shook his head. One of these days Barton's habit of snarky replies was going to get him into trouble. Coulson had to hide a smile as he replied, "If Barton thinks he can handle it, there's my response." 

Natasha looked between the two men, wrestling with her thoughts, before she nodded her acceptance. Clint was going with her, and she would be working double time to keep him out Winter Soldier's way. "We'll fly out right away," she said, itching and ready to go already.

Clint could tell she was thinking about something, but he knew better than to mention it now.   
Coulson nodded. He liked short briefings. "There'll be a jet waiting for you in half an hour." He stood up. "I'll send you what intel we have." He walked to the door. "Good luck, both of you." He paused before opening the door. "And don't tell Rogers anything until you get back."

They both needed to suit up still and make sure they had their weaponry in order. Natasha was antsy, wanting to leave right away. She nodded at Coulson. She understood what a sensitive subject this would be for the Captain. It was sensitive even for her. It never really occurred to her to talk to him about it. It was in the past, so she saw no reason to bring it up. "I'll meet you in the hangar in twenty minutes?" she said to Clint as they walked out.

Clint nodded. "Just don't leave without me, ok?" he said. 

"I won't," she promised him although the temptation would be there. Natasha quickly went to her quarters to change into her black catsuit, making sure she had everything she needed for this mission.


	3. Chapter 3

Clint walked to his room quickly. It seemed so strange that they'd been lamenting not going on missions together earlier, but now that the opportunity had arisen, Tash seemed to not want him along. He gathered his kit and changed back into his 'suit', putting his soft shell fatigues jacket on over the top. He double checked his equipment carefully, and threw a few changes of clothes and his backup quiver into a duffle bag.   
He sent a quick message to Bobbi, saying he was being sent out again before leaving for the hangar.  

Natasha was already waiting in the hangar by the time Clint came to join her. She was wound up tight and ready to go. The quinjet was prepped and waiting. When she saw him, she offered him her best smile and tried to smooth the tension out of her form.

Clint smiled when he saw her. He walked onto the jet, put his bag in one of the lockers and sat down in the pilots seat. He could tell she was tense, but knew better than to ask her again. He busied himself with running through the startups for the jet. 

She took a seat in the co-pilot's chair and began running through her controls. They were silent together, working comfortably. When they began to prep for take-off, Natasha finally spoke. "Clint, there's something I should tell you," she began gently.

Clint flicked a few switches, including the one to close the door. She sounded as though she was going to break some terrible news to him. "Shoot, Tash," he said. He buckled the flight harness together and rested his hands on the controls, waiting for flight clearance while the engines warned up. 

Natasha was silent, trying to figure out how to tell him. It was never fun to bring up exes to someone, she was quickly learning. "When I was still with the KGB, Winter Soldier and I," she swallowed tightly. "We were involved." It had been a short, torrid romance and once word got out that they were together, KGB did everything they could to rip them apart until she walked away, alone, hurt and angry.

Clint wasn't surprised. Well, he was a little, but more that she was worried about telling him. "Tash, I know you've got a past," he said, before being interrupted by flight control giving them permission to take off. He waited until they were clear before continuing. "As long as your head's in the game, Tash, I don't care. Are you telling me because you thought I'd be worried? Or because this is going to be a problem on-mission?"

Natasha had no idea whether this was going to be a problem. She was trying to compartmentalize it all. Taking a deep breath, she got her head on straight as they began to fly the quinjet. "I made such a fuss about Morse, and now we're going after an ex," she said evenly. "I just didn't want this to blindside you. I haven't seen him in years." And there were plenty of things left unsaid and unresolved.

Clint shrugged. "It's not like you chose to go after him," he said. "Besides, you knowing him so, well, intimately, could be useful. What can you tell me about him?"

"He's an excellent soldier, a master with many skills. The thing you have to watch out for his his cybernetic arm. Superhuman strength and faster reaction time which means that if you end up on the opposite end of it, it's going to hurt for days. He can also discharge electric bursts from it," she explained as she input their flight info. "We did a lot of wetwork together. I guess all the bloodshed forms a bond between two people," she shrugged.

"I'm a sniper, remember? I excel in staying out of hand to hand combat," Clint teased. "Well, sometimes." Clint pondered her last sentence a little more, though. Was that what had formed -their- bond as well? Sent to kill one another only to find themselves running for their lives together all those years ago. Then the missions since... "You seemed surprised that he had appeared again. When did you see him last?"

"Years ago, few years before you came after me. KGB doesn't like their agents fraternizing with one another, so they tore us apart. Honestly, I thought he was dead," she answered him heavily. Maybe she convinced herself that he was to make the separation hurt less. Natasha was glad that Clint was so accepting, and since it was just the two of them, her hand moved to rest over his gently.

Clint turned his hand over and held hers. It really had been too long since they'd been in the field together. "You're worried that's what SHIELD will do if they learn we have feelings for each other?"

"I'm not going to let it happen, not again," she said determinedly. Natasha had been young before, naive almost, but she wasn't going to let them take Clint away from her. Glancing at him, she gave him a rueful smile. "I'm not letting you go."

Clint smirked. "I am a difficult habit to break," he said. "So where're we headed? I didn't get a chance to read anything more of the briefing notes."

"Moscow," she said reading their flight plan. There was a wry smile on her lips. It was an old stomping ground for them, and it gave her a good idea where to seek him out.

"Fun times," Clint replied. He adjusted their bearing. "So why did you want to head into the field so promptly?" 

There were plenty of answers to that, and she hated that the first one that came to her mind was that she wanted to see for herself that he was still alive. "Because I know just how dangerous he can be," she answered quietly.

Clint was surprised at her response. He knew from personal experience that the first thing he'd wanted to do when he found out someone he thought had been killed was still alive was to see them. It hadn't worked out so well in the end, but that was beside the point.

"Coulson wants him brought in, but it might take some convincing. I don't know if he still has KGB ties," she continued as she adjusted her controls. A grim expression crossed her features. She didn't know him anymore, not with the years serving as a chasm between them. Natasha glanced at Clint. "Thanks for being so understanding."

Clint shrugged. "What're friends for?" Satisfied that the jet was flying well, he flicked on the autopilot and sat back in his chair.

It took her a few more beats before she was satisfied to set the autopilot. She turned in her seat to look at him. "Are you okay?" she asked him carefully.

Clint was slightly confused by the question. What was the best way to answer, though? Physically, he felt fine, a little tired from all the time zone jumping, but he knew how to roll with that. Besides, he and Mockingbird had been in Prague, so it wouldn't be too hard to adjust his body clock.  
He was worried about her, but she was in Black Widow mode at the moment, and he'd learned from experience that she didn't take worry well when she was in that mindset. "I'm fine, Tash. What would make you think otherwise?"

"Coulson wants him brought in, but it might take some convincing. I don't know if he still has KGB ties," she continued as she adjusted her controls. A grim expression crossed her features. She didn't know him anymore, not with the years serving as a chasm between them. Natasha glanced at Clint. "Thanks for being so understanding."

Clint shrugged. "What're friends for?" Satisfied that the jet was flying well, he flicked on the autopilot and sat back in his chair.

It took her a few more beats before she was satisfied to set the autopilot. She turned in her seat to look at him. "Are you okay?" she asked him carefully.

Clint was slightly confused by the question. What was the best way to answer, though? Physically, he felt fine, a little tired from all the time zone jumping, but he knew how to roll with that. Besides, he and Mockingbird had been in Prague, so it wouldn't be too hard to adjust his body clock.  
He was worried about her, but she was in Black Widow mode at the moment, and he'd learned from experience that she didn't take worry well when she was in that mindset. "I'm fine, Tash. What would make you think otherwise?"

"You just got back from an op, and now you're out on another one with me. And trust me, this isn't going to be a simple intel extraction like you did with Mockingbird," she said dryly. She was concerned about him, and she hated that he had to come along to dig up her past. The fact that he was insistent on being out here with her was comforting. They had a few hours until reaching Moscow, and they were finally alone. She could be more open with him. 

"I'm fine," he said. "The mission with Bobbi was just that, simple. No troubles at all, and in many ways less tiring than simply being at base and training everyday." He gave her a half-grin. "It's been a while since SHIELD has needed to send us out together. And your reaction when Stark mentioned it, and how you were behaving in the briefing..." He turned to look at her. "I've not seen you like that since I first brought you into SHIELD."

His grin helped settle her. It helped Natasha ground herself, reminding her that she was in the present. In order to take on Winter Soldier, she was going to need to do this objectively. "I've never had to think about things like that since then," she answered him honestly. She was itching to reach out and touch him, fall into his embrace, but she wasn't sure. 

"Tasha, you're allowed to worry about things. No-one expects you to be objective about everything all the time except you," he said, trying not to sound too critical. He'd had this talk from Coulson after intel had been found suggesting Barney was still alive. Clint had almost had to be put in one of the detention cells to stop him from running off to find his brother.   
He held out a hand to Natasha. 

Clint offered his hand out to hers, and she didn't hesitate to slip her own into it. His was much larger, calloused from years of archery, and it made her smile slightly at the familiarity of it. She took his words to heart, nodding. "I was trained to be professional and to separate my emotions. Emotions make me weak. They make me sloppy," she explained gently. Thanks to Clint, Natasha slowly unraveled her training and former to life to create something new. She'd never felt more like her own person until he decided to spare her life that day and recruit her. "Even after all these years, it's still hard to let go of all that conditioning."

Clint squeezed her hand. "If I didn't listen to my emotions, it's likely that neither of us would be here. At the risk of sounding sappy, and revealing I've spent far too much time talking with Banner, emotions make us human. Good or bad, there's no sense in fighting them all the time."

"It's a learning process," she said wryly. She felt a little more relaxed after talking it out although she knew that the tension would return the closer they got to Moscow. "If you want to get some sleep, I don't mind," she said to him, giving his hand a squeeze in return.

Clint grinned. "I know." He shook his head at her offer. "I'm not tired. I know what it's like to go chasing your past. I wish I had you with me when I did it."

"What was it like? Chasing after your past, I mean," she asked him curiously. Their past was something they were both fairly familiar with, but there were still gaps here and there. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

He thought for a moment. "Terrifying. Satisfying. Depressing in the end, I guess. It wasn't a fairy tale, anyway. Mad thoughts of being able to save people from themselves..." Clint trailed off, realizing what he was saying didn't sound very supportive. 

"You saved me from myself," she pointed out lightly with a dry laugh. Natasha shook her head though because she understood what he was trying to tell her. Whatever happened in her reunion with Barnes, it wasn't going to be a happy one.

"I didn't know you before. Well, except for from your file... " Clint said. "Coulson thought that a simple assassination mission would put my head back in the game when he sent me out after you.  He was unimpressed when I made that call... It was different, though, chasing my past, but Barney and I were so close as kids..." Clint sighed, memories of his brother crossing his mind. 

Natasha knew that Clint didn't like talking about his brother much. The heavy look on his expression made her regret even bringing the situation up. Reaching out, she rested a comforting hand on his knee. "We don't have to talk about it, Clint," she said gently. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Clint forced a smile. "What happened to Barney on that mission is the reason I didn't make the shot on you, Tash. I don't like talking about it, but I don't mind." He covered her hand with both of his. "I understand what your worries are, is all I'm trying to say, I guess."

She understood that it was taking a lot for him to talk to her about this, and she tried to soothe his mood by offering him a wry smile. "And here I thought you just didn't take the shot because you were astounded by how pretty I am," she playfully teased. Natasha grew serious for a moment and squeezed the hand she was holding. "I was afraid to bring you along with me for this, but I'm glad I did."

Clint knew what she was trying to do and smiled. "That was a consideration," he said. 

"How big of a consideration?" she asked him coyly, wanting to get her mind off the more serious things. They never did get their chance to spend time with one another.

Clint grinned and shook his head. He'd seen her turn that tactic on targets. They never got around to talking about this kind of thing. The timing had never been right, and it still really wasn't. Sure, they had a couple of hours to kill before they reached Moscow, but they were headed into a dangerous mission, and they didn't need other things to think about. "How about I tell you when we get back to base?" 

Her lips drew into a soft pout, but she understood. Natasha gave a nod. "I'll be holding you to that, Barton. Don't think I'll forget," she warned him with a smirk. 

"I know you won't," he replied. 

"We have a long flight. You better get familiar with the dossier," she told him as she settled more comfortably into her co-pilot's seat. She knew Winter Soldier's file front and back, save for the most recent additions to it.

Clint sighed. She had a good point. He unclipped his harness and stood up. "You right to keep flying?" he asked. 

"I'll be fine," she reassured him. Before he left, she caught his arm and tugged him down to her in order to brush her lips lightly against his. "Get some sleep if you can too."

He returned the kiss. "I'm not tired," he replied, before wandering out of the cockpit and settling on one of the benches in the cargo hold and opened up the files on his tablet. The file was interesting, but despite his best efforts, Clint did end up dozing off. Reading long files always tired him out.  

Natasha spent her solitude reflecting. Clint had smoothed out her ruffled feathers, but now that she was alone, she felt that tension beginning to overtake her again. She only left the cockpit once to check on Clint, and she was glad to see that he was managing some sleep. She remained awake for the whole flight, too wired to even attempt sleep. After awhile, they were approaching Moscow.

Clint woke as he felt the jet begin to descend causing the tablet to slip off his chest where it had rested while he was asleep. The device landed on the floor with a thud, and was luckily still intact when he picked it up. The devices were useful, but they were a little too fragile for his liking. He stood up and walked back into the cockpit. He noticed that Tasha was beginning to look tense and ruffled her hair to try and relieve the tension. "Good to see you didn't crash the jet this time," he joked. 

"I didn't crash it last time," she protested, smiling at him when he joined her. His presence was gladly welcome. She'd been alone with her thoughts for too long. Natasha threw him an indignant look for ruffling her hair, but it was softened by her grin. "Good nap?" she asked him.

He ran a hand through his own hair and stretched. "Yeah, surprisingly. Didn't think I was that tired." he sat down in the pilots seat and took the controls. "You ok? You're looking tense again."

"I'll be fine," she reassured him. Natasha was now itching to get this mission over with. The closer she got to Moscow and what was waiting for them, the less she wanted to face her past. "Let's get this over with. I've never been one for patience like you."

"That's why I'm the sniper, and you're the spy," he quipped in reply. He looked at Natasha and tried to give her a reassuring grin.  
Clint flicked the autopilot off and brought the jet in to land at a small airfield outside Moscow. He ran it into a hangar and ran through the post-flight checks before powering down.  
They were greeted outside the jet by two airfield personnel dressed in SHIELD kit. The younger of the pair looked nervous, but Clint brushed it off as the kid being new to the job. A lot of the junior agents got like that when meeting any of the Avengers for the first time. The older and taller of the pair handed Natasha a folder.  
"He's been spotted again," was all he said, in heavily accented English, before the pair of them walked off.   
Clint watched them go, thinking it was odd they hadn't just been told direct from Coulson.

She gave him a wry look and squeezed his hand one last time before they were due to get off. The Moscow weather was cool, and she felt old memories wash over her. Some of her memories, she wasn't even sure if they were real. That was one of the worst things about the Red Room, trying to discern between what they planted in her head and what was genuine. The two SHIELD agents greeted them, handing Natasha folder. Coolly, she flicked through it. Winter Soldier had been spotted again. He was making more appearances, and she had an idea that he was trying to be loud and make some noise. "He's taking out marks," she remarked grimly. She looked through the kill list to find a connection and her frown grew. "He's taking out KGB assets."

Clint looked over her shoulder at the file. "He seems to be rather noisy for an assassin," he observed. "Professional opinion, of course. That one," he pointed to the most recent name. "Broad daylight in a public place? He's either become sloppy, or he's trying to get attention."

"He's definitely trying to get attention, but the question is whose attention?" she murmured thoughtfully as they studied the file together. Winter Soldier was nothing if not clean and efficient with his kills, and she knew that he wouldn't be so showy and messy like this. It wasn't his style. "I think I can figure out who he's going to go after next."

"As long as it's not us..." Clint muttered. He found it strange the Winter Soldier was being so showy. If he had really been reactivated after all this time, having such a different MO made his activities suspicious. He didn't like it at all. "Who do you think?" 

"There's a doctor that the KGB used. He was the one who brainwashed us, planted memories in my head. He also did a number on Winter Soldier as well. He'll be going after him. If not next then soon," Natasha explained to him. It didn't make sense why he'd be going after KGB, but she guessed that something must be off. Something must have seriously gone wrong.

"Do you know how to find him?"Clint asked. 

She stared at the dossier before looking up to him. "Yeah, I think so," she nodded. It was more of her past being uncovered, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Then let's try and get there before Barnes does," Clint replied. He set off across the tarmac to a car parked near the airfields offices, knowing it was their wheels while they were in Moscow. 


	4. Interlude

Winter Soldier returned to his safe house. Six down, another six to go. He stood in front of the mirror in the hallway. Everything about him was just... familiar. He didn't feel any distinct pride in himself. He was following orders and that was all that mattered. His handler would send him instructions on his next target soon. 

His skin itched under the corner of his mask and he reached up to remove it. As he touched it, a jolt ran up his cybernetic arm and he grunted in pain. The pain disappeared as soon as he lowered his hand from the mask. He shook his head, now unsure why he'd been trying to remove it. 

Winter Soldier turned away from the mirror, no longer wanting to look at himself. The world had changed so much since the last time he was active, and he did not know if he liked it. Not that it mattered, anyway. His briefing ensured he knew what was going on, and he was just here to complete his missions as per the instructions given. 

Given the pattern of the previous contact from his handler, it would not be long before his next mission was sent. 

He walked through the house to the lounge room and sat on the couch. The book he had been reading before his most recent mission was folded open over the arm of the couch. He scanned the page and frowned. He didn't remember getting this far into the story. He flicked back through the book to the section he could remember reading. He continued reading until, upon reaching the same page at which he had found the book open, his cell phone buzzed. He put the book down in the same place on the arm of the chair, and picked up the phone. He was a little in awe of the ways in which technology had developed, but he had to admit it was useful. He read the message, returned the phone to his pocket and left the house to find his next target. 

He made his way to the outskirts of Moscow, driving along half-remembered streets to a half-remembered location on the very edge of the city. The bunker was hidden in a wooded area and buried into the side of a hill.

He abandoned the stolen car two miles out, and set off on foot the rest of the way. Unconsciously, he knew that the resident of the bunker, his target, would be monitoring the roads, but there were too many ways to approach on foot, and he couldn't monitor them all. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he just knew. 

He slung the bag containing his sniper rifle across his back. If anyone saw him, they'd likely think him a strange person dressed from old army surplus supplies, but he didn't think about that, or care one way or the other. He was here on a mission, and that was what he had to do. If anyone asked him any questions, he would simply kill them. 

About a mile out from the bunker, he encountered a pair of huntsmen, stalking prey through the forest. He kept walking, scaring the deer they had been carefully hunting for almost two hours. When one of them yelled out to him in angry Russian, he simply drew his sidearm and fired two shots. After the sound of the gunfire, and two thuds, there was silence again in the forests, save for the soft sound of his feet crunching on the drying pine needles.

The hill opposite the bunker was the logical location from which to observe the bunker, though Winter Soldier knew that it would be monitored. He slowed down as he approached keeping a careful lookout for cameras and tripwires. Something twitched in the back of his mind; a sense of dejavu, but he pushed it aside. He had no time to think about the past now. He was here on a mission, and that was all that mattered. 

He found the blackspot on the hill between two cameras and settled in for a long haul of watching and waiting for the occupant of the bunker to emerge. He had to be sure his target was in there before proceeding with the next phase of his mission. 


	5. First encounters

Natasha worked fast to get her research done. There was a scientist, one that worked on both herself and Barnes, during their with the KGB. Winter Soldier has been a very distinct list, and she assumed that the natural progression of things would lead him to the next particular target. She led Clint through Moscow, reaching the outskirts. There was an old abandoned bunker. Intel told her that was where the next target would be hiding. Apparently, he'd caught on to the fact that KGB assets were being hunted. Now it was just a matter of making it there in time before Winter Soldier struck.

Clint hung back and let Natasha take the lead in the investigation. She knew the ground, and she had the contacts, he'd only just be getting in the way at this stage. As she came out of the office building where she had met with her last contact, he leaned across and opened the passenger door for here. "Got all the information we need?" he asked.

"This scientist. I know he'll be next. He's following some semblance of order and this doctor... He did things to the both of us. Soldier is following a vendetta," she explained to Clint on their way to the bunker. They separated ways to cover more ground. He was better with distance and height, and he would better catch things she couldn't when she was busy on the ground. Natasha had her guns at the ready as she stalked the bunker. The door was parted open, and she guessed either the doctor stepped out or someone had already come for him.

Clint climbed the hill opposite the bunker as Natasha crept towards the door. He reached the top just as she pushed the door opened and frowned slightly. Why was it open? What was the point of hiding out in a bunker, if you were just going to leave the door open? Clint readied his bow and looked around the valley. Knowing that Barnes was coming for this guy, too, made him nervous. Was he already here? Or had he been and gone, and the scientist was already dead? "Tash, be careful. Something doesn't seem right," he muttered into his radio. "His MO was becoming more ... theatrical for the lack of a better word, with the other targets. How do you get people's attention when there's no-one out here for miles?"

Winter Soldier frowned when he saw movement near the bunker, but it wasn't anyone coming out. It was someone entering the bunker. He hadn't been warned there would be someone else coming for the doctor. And that figure; that black suit and all those curves...  
Memories stirred in the back of his mind underneath his most recent conditioning, but were brushed aside as something shorted out in his arm. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself grunting in pain, but it was only partially succuessful. This shock lasted much longer than the others had, and he let himself have a sigh of relief when it was over.   
By the time the pain had cleared, the woman had disappeared inside the bunker. Well, maybe she would do his job for him. 

Clint kept an eye out over the hillside just as much as he was watching the bunker. His alertness level jumped when he heard a muffled grunt of pain followed by a sigh of relief. Someone else was out here. "Tash, we've got company," he said softly into their radio unit. "How're you going in there?"

She entered bunker slowly, trying to move as silently as possible. There was a hollowness in the bunker that gave her the sense that it was empty, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Natasha canvassed the bunker. It looked lived in with a great deal of supplies. There were also research littering the place along with manic writing all over the walls. There were some phrases that stood out to her, Red Room, conditioning, brainwashing, implanted memories. They made her inside twinge with pain and anger, an old hurt that she always carried with her. Clint's voice crackled over their comm link.

"No sign of the mark inside," she murmured in return, displeased. Could the Winter Soldier already have struck? She was going to continue searching when Clint spoke again. "It's empty in here save for the doc's work and supplies. What's the status outside?"

Natasha was already moving outside to join him. She stepped foot outside, standing in front of the bunker, in search for any signs of danger or combat.

"Not too sure," Clint replied. "There's no sign of movement... Maybe I was imagining things."

Winter Soldier watched the woman leave the bunker again, confused that he hadn't heard any signs of a scuffle or gunfire. If this woman had been sent to kill the scientist, too, surely she would have done so. He felt the same sense of recognition as he had earlier, as she stood there, ready for anything. Ad again, a sudden jolt of electricity zapped from his replacement arm. This time it was sudden enough that he wasn't prepared for it, and let out a yelp of pain. 

Clint was instantly on alert. Someone was here, just where were they. He knelt, an arrow to his bow string, ready to fire, should they come under attack. 

Winter Soldier cursed. They'd know he was here, now. It was time to go. He could return to take out the scientist when it was safe to do so. He rolled a short distance back from the crest of the hill -enough to just get him out of sight of the bunker -, stood up, and moved quietly away from the hill. 

It boggled Natasha's mind that the bunker was empty. It was a safe hiding place as long as the doctor remained inside. The only logical reason she could come up with was that Winter Soldier had done the job already. Instinct was crawling at her as she searched for any kind of vantage point. Her attention was drawn to the hill. Upon studying it, she realized that it was the perfect spot to perform the kill shot should the mark come outside.

"The hill. I'm going for the hill," she muttered on her comm to Clint. Natasha broke out into a sprint to round it. Either Soldier was going to be up there waiting or he would've gotten spooked. She wasn't sure, but either way, she knew that she wasn't going to let him get away.

"Copy that," Clint replied. He looked along the ridge, and nodded before running the rest of the way up. Working together, if Barnes was still up there, They could head him off. 

Winter Soldier heard the movement of not one, but two people starting to run through the woods towards him. He sped up to a sprint, his mind focused on getting away. 

"Hawkeye, I spot movement," she called back authoritatively. She spied a broad form sprinting away and towards the woods. Natasha pushed herself harder to catch up. In her heart of hearts, she knew that it was him. For a moment, she forgot all about the scientist and her mission. She was focused on catching up to him and seeing him for herself.

"I see him, Widow. Be careful," he said, regretting the last two words as he said them. She didn't need to hear that from him. He crested the hill and Immediately picked out the running figure of Barnes. He paused, drawing another arrow  tipped with a normal broadhead point and loosed it at the man, aiming for his left shoulder. It hit, but Hawkeye was confused when it just bounced off. Clint swore as he remembered the cybernetic arm. He started running again, needing to close the gap a little more before making another shot. 

Winter Soldier felt the arrow bounce off his arm and increased his pace. He needed to get away, to go to ground until he could lose this heat. 

Natasha barely heard his warning, so she didn't have the thought to be cross with him. She saw the bullet fly through the air, bouncing off of Winter Soldier haplessly. She increased her pace because Barnes wasn't stopping. 

"Soldier," she called to him, hoping that maybe he would grow familiar with her. Maybe he'd remember her. There was a part of her that was resentful that he might forget, but she knew that it was completely possible to forget. "Barnes!"

He heard the woman's voice, and it sounded familiar. The memory sounded like the woman who had been sent to kill him years ago, before the Soviets had fallen. Then when she called out 'Barnes!' another memory pushed its way in... until his arm shorted again. He tripped over as his left side stiffened from the shock and cried out. What was wrong with the technology today? He'd have to report this to his handler. He allowed himself three deep breathes to clear the pain of the shock and the fall before pushing himself to his feet. The woman would be much closer now.

Clint saw Barnes stiffen and fall over as Natasha called his name and wondered what had happened. He sped up, pushing himself to his top speed to catch up to Natasha. He didn't know how either of them would react when they met, but felt Natasha could do with the backup nearby if she needed it. 

Natasha saw the hesitation although she didn't know whether it was from her or something else. He seemed to be in pain, and it gave her a chance to close the distance between them. She took full advantage of it. He was on the ground, pushing himself back up a few moments later, but she pounced. Without hesitating, she lunged for him and tumbled with him to the ground. It was painful, and she felt his arm tumble against her.

He hadn't expected her to be that close. He felt her weight land against him and pin him to the ground. She was so much lighter than him, but she certainly knew how to throw her weight around. He grabbed her against him with his left arm and rolled, pinning her under him. He threatened a punch with his left hand and pinned her to the ground with his right forearm across her chest.   
"Who are you? Who sent you?" he growled at her in Russian. 

"Nat! Don't!" Clint yelled as he saw her tackle Barnes. He kept running towards them. 

He threw her around, pinning her down to the ground. His arm was threatening to punch her, but she stared at him unflinchingly. It took her a moment to answer him because she was studying his face. He was almost as she remembered, and it made something twinge painfully in her. There was no recollection in his eyes. "It's me," she answered in Russian, her voice gentle. "Natalia Romanova. Don't you remember me, James?"

Conflicting memories ran through his head, of a woman sent by the Americans to kill him, and a woman who fought by his side... and so much more. As he thought of her friendship, he felt a tingle begin in his arm again and banished the thoughts. The last thing he needed was for his arm to give out on him. "I remember you were sent to kill me," he replied. 

"I was sent to kill a lot of people," she answered evenly. Natasha understood what she was dealing with her, and she knew that she needed to help him sift between what was real and what was implanted. "But you and I, we were a team. The Winter Soldier and the Black Widow. We were infamous. We were inseparable until we became too attached. They tore us away from each other because they were afraid we'd be compromised. Our loyalty was to each other and not the organization."

Winter Soldier shook his head. He didn't believe her. He couldn't believe her. The memories she was stimulating were the ones that resulted in pain. They couldn't be the right ones. "Try again," he said. "Who sent you after the scientist? What are you doing here?"

Clint heard what Natasha was saying and had to push thought of jealousy aside. Was this what she'd felt like while he was out with Mockingbird? He drew another arrow, this time with a taser head and aimed it carefully at Barnes. "Get off her, Barnes," he said. 

Winter Soldier turned his head slightly and looked at this new assailant out of the corner of his eye. Archer. Sniper. Likely not as good in close combat as he was at distance. Strange arrowhead. Body language suggested concern for his partner.   
Winter Soldier lowered his left arm, not in surrender, but to place it around Natasha's throat.  Not squeezing, just threatening. "Maybe you can answer my questions, then," he said, switching to English. 

 

"Hawkeye, it's okay," she called to him evenly, keeping her gaze pinned on Soldier. She could see that he was conflicted, and that gave her an edge. She remembered the pain of trying to fight against the conditioning. She felt the coolness of his cybernetic arm wrap around her throat, but she wasn't afraid. It was a warning, and she knew one wrong move could end her. Even with that thought in mind, she didn't feel fear.

Natasha stared up at him. "You're being loud. Making a lot of trouble for people, and you're getting attention. We've been sent to bring you in," she explained to him, letting him know that her intention wasn't to kill him. "I know you, and you know me. You just can't remember. They did it to you again, didn't they? They took your mind and played with it. Unmade you and put you back together the way they wanted to. They did it to me when they separated us. They made me forget I loved you, James. They wanted me to be the perfect weapon, and I couldn't be that if I was ruled by emotions."

She didn't want Clint to hear all of this, but it was necessary. She had to draw the man she knew out of the weapon that he was made into. Later, she would make it up to him. Right now, they had a mission.

 

Clint relaxed slightly at her words, but he kept the arrow nocked. He didn't trust Barnes. It was strange to hear her talk to him with so much confidence... and so much care. He understood what she was doing, though. She'd done the same for him during the events in New York... He'd helped her through it when she'd left the KGB. He still didn't like Barnes threatening to throttle her, though. 

Winter Soldier frowned. He could feel the tingling begin again in his arm and shiftedhis hand back from her neck slightly. It was still a threat, but he didn't want to throttle her by accident before he got more answers. "I've been following orders..." he muttered. Calling his methods loud was an insult. He was completing his institutions. And her accusations of conditioning couldn't be correct, could they? He knew who he was. "I don't know what you're talking about. Why do you keep calling me James? Who sent you to bring me in?"

"James Barnes, Bucky to your friends. Ridiculous name in my opinion, but it was special to you. It reminded you of your best friend, one you thought was long gone. Steve Rogers," she continued. The hand shifted away from her neck, and she knew that she was making progress. Natasha nodded slightly at him. "You follow orders well, but you hate doing it. You hated being a puppet to them just as much as I did. But Hawkeye over there. He saved me, and I can save you too. I can bring you to Steve if you want."

It was a hollow promise that she had no right to make, but she needed something to jar him and tempt him to join her. His bond with Steve was something he always cherished even in his darkest times.

"I'm not going to hurt you, and even though you don't know it, you're not going to hurt me either."

 

Clint looked around as Natasha spoke to Barnes. Seeing the larger man relax was a good sign. She had that under control. Now it was time to worry about where the scientist had gone. This all seemed too smooth. To land in a foreign city and to be handed exactly the right intel to lead them to their target this soon...  
He looked up as he heard a distant whoump whoump of a helicopter's rotors. He frowned. 

He could feel the tingling threat in his arm intensify as she mentioned Steve Rogers tried not to think about the name. Memories of the dumb kid from Brooklyn who was too stupid to ever bam away from a fight... The kid who'd tried over and over to enlist... The man who'd rescued him... The man he'd followed...   
The tingling in his arm followed through on its threat. He yelled in pain and managed to push himself away from Natasha. 

The noise of the helicopter reached her, but she valiantly ignored it to study the reactions she was getting out of Barnes. Mentioning Steve worked in her favor, and he pushed himself away. Natasha didn't give him a moment of leniency. She was quickly on her feet and going after him. Her hand reached out to grab his organic arm. Her Widow's Bite on her wrists were activated, and she was willing to stun him to bring him in if it was necessary. "Come with me," she told him over the drum of the rotors. "Come with me, and I can help you. I can fix this."

The helicopter was getting closer. Clint scanned the skies and spotted it in the distance and was suddenly confident that it wasn't a co-incidence it was in the area. It was definitely of military design. "Widow, we should be going," he said.   
"STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT! Every time I think about it, it -hurts-," Winter Soldier said. His thoughts were still lingering on Rogers, no matter how hard he tried to banish them, and another shock was delivered to him.   
"WIDOW!" Clint said, noticing her Bites were charged. "If you stun him now, we can't get him out of here. That chopper doesn't look friendly."   
As if to confirm his words, a missile was fired from the aircraft, sailing over the hill and slamming into the bunker. The explosion shook the ground 

"Come with me," she said urgently. She heeded Clint's warning, and she could that he was antsy to get out of there. The helicopter would notice their figures on the ground soon. Natasha gripped Winter Soldier's arm tight. She was afraid if she tugged and dragged him along, he would react negatively. The explosion could be felt all the way to where they were. "Come with me, and I'll fix it. We promised we'd always remind each other who we were, and I'm doing it here and now. Even after all these years, I'll still do it for you. Just trust me."

Winter Soldier felt the explosion and looked in disbelief at the cloud of dust that crested the hill. He'd been given no warning of an attack. What was going on? Was this a third party trying to take out his mark?   
He threw her arm off his own. "Just leave me alone," he said. He'd finally got his thoughts under control, and he knew he needed to get out of there. "If I see you again, I won't hold back," he said. He turned and started to run off  
Clint risked taking his gaze off the chopper to look at Natasha as Barnes spoke. That had to hurt, but they had no time to worry about it. He looked back up to see the helicopter turning around to make another pass over the hill and heard a different beat of a machine gun firing into the forest. It was time to go. He ran to Natasha and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from following him. "We have to go, Black Widow. We'll find him again," he said. 

Winter Soldier took off, and she was about to go after him when Clint stopped her. The staccato cadence of machine gunfire filled the air, and she could only watch helplessly as Barnes took off. She remained there a moment or two before allowing Clint to drag her away. Natasha hated letting him go, but she knew that she had no choice.


	6. Chapter 6

The sharp beat of the gunfire followed them as they made their way through the forest, but it was only ever close enough to force them to keep going, as if it was just there to give Barnes enough time to escape. When they reached the edge of the forest, the helicopter backed off. Clint watched it go, and couldn't resist firing an arrow at it, even though the distance was too great.   
"Are you ok?" he asked, between gasps of air, trying to catch his breath. 

"Fine," she bit out as she tried to catch her breath. The adrenaline was coursing through her veins along with the spiky sensation of disappointment. Natasha needed to get back to her investigative work to figure out where Winter Soldier would strike next. "Are you okay?" she asked, glancing over at Clint with concern.

"Couldn't be better," he said. "Let's go and find a car."

Natasha deactivated her Bites and followed alongside Clint. She was silently kicking herself for missing out on the chance to bring Barnes in. They trekked through the forest until they reached civilisation again.

Clint was uncharacteristically quiet as they made their way to civilization. He wanted to talk to her about it, to apologize about Barnes running off and stopping her from chasing them, but he knew he had to wait until they were at least back in civilization, if not after the mission altogether.   
He wondered how much she remembered from when he cracked her brainwashing... Did she remember enough to know he was sorry for what he put her through? She'd certainly studied brainwashing techniques since; she'd come close to putting cracks in Barnes' mind, but that "obedience collar" effect was interesting - that his cybernetic arm gave him pain when he remembered his past. Why has they done that? Was the brainwashing incomplete?

They reached a suburban area an hunted around for a car. 

They picked one, a simple, plain car that didn't look like it would be too badly missed. Natasha allowed Clint to drive and settled into the passenger seat. She was silent for awhile during their drive before she spoke up. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that. I don't want it to seem I was rubbing my past in your face or anything," she apologized. Seeing Barnes again had brought up old memories and feelings, but she knew that it paled in comparison to what she felt for Clint. She didn't want him thinking that she had second thoughts. There was a beat, and she wondered if he was feeling second thoughts himself. Surely, Bobbi wasn't this complicated.

He paused a moment before replying. "Tash, I'm fine with it," he said. "You've got nothing to apologise for. I know you have a past. I understand that he was part of it." He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "I know... I remember what I had to do for you to break the conditioning... and you know what you had to do to break Loki's control over me. Fixing brainwashing isn't an easy thing. It doesn't happen in one conversation. At least with Barnes we've got something to work with. We know his past, and we know what buttons we can push to bring him out of it." He paused again before adding. "I'm sorry I dragged you away from him."

"Don't be. You were just trying to protect me. I would've done the same for you." Clint was so understanding, and it made her heart clench, making her wonder what she did right in her life to deserve him. Deciding to fuck protocol and everything else, she reached over and laced her fingers through his. Natasha needed to feel him, and she relished the warmth and comfort of touching him. "I just hit you really hard a couple of times, that's all," she told him gently. With Winter Soldier, it wasn't going to be that easy. This wasn't magic. This was layers and layers of implanting and brainwashing, and they both knew how messy that could be. "He remembers Steve. It's a good trigger for him. He remembers him better than he remembers me," she added before rubbing her thumb reassuringly along the back of his hand. "Let's head back to the safe house and figure out our next move from there."

"Its a stick shift, Tash, I need that hand back," Clint joked. "And agreed." The adrenaline rush of the chase was beginning to wear off, and Clint was starting to feel tired. "There's a weird thing going on when you reminded him of his past, did you notice? Something just affecting his left side, though, like his robot arm was shorting out."

Natasha released his hand a moment later, settling into her seat. She felt the strain on her as well, but she knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep any time soon. There was work to be done, and it was only a matter of time before Barnes struck again. "Could be rigged to send pain if he tries to go against his conditioning," she nodded, remembering his looks of pain.

Clint nodded. "It going to make breaking the conditioning difficult. Unless there's a way to disable it."

Natasha thought it over. She'd need to do more research and get in touch with more contacts. "We'll find a way, but first we should get some rest. I'll check up on some new leads."

Clint nodded. He agreed with the idea of rest. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to come straight out on another mission, but he would never admit that to her. He parked the car about three blocks from the safe house and got out. "We'll walk from here." He knew there were people around, but one of the advantages of the modern world was people would just think the we're in costumes. 

Natasha walked confidently. Anything less, people might think they were up to something. She felt weariness beginning to set in, but she didn't falter. They made it to their safe house without incident, and she offered Clint a smile albeit a tired one.

Clint returned the smile. "Want something to eat?" he asked as they closed the front door. He looked around the house, getting his bearings and guessing where the kitchen was. 

"Yeah, that sounds really good," she nodded when they stepped in. Natasha went to work on removing her gear while he searched around for the kitchen. She was getting incredibly hungry, not having eaten since they left base.

Clint successfully found the kitchen by following his nose and opened the fridge. He was glad of the teams who kept the safehouses stocked with fresh food and vegetables where they would otherwise be stuck with freeze dried rations. He poked around, umming and ahhing over what he wanted to eat, never mind what he could cook. He pulled out a carton of eggs, a few veggies and some salami and threw together a batch of scrambled eggs. It was always awkward when they had to cook for themselves, since they spent so much time either eating rations to keep them going in the field, or eating in the mess while back on base. But who could ruin scrambled eggs, right?   
"Tash! Food's up!" he called out when the eggs were ready.

The smell of food cooking filled the safe house made her mouth water, and she realized that she was much hungrier than she realized. Natasha had all her gear off, but kept a gun on her person just in case. She followed Clint into the kitchen and rewarded him with a smile. Too tired to care about protocol or how uncharacteristic it was, she reached up to brush her lips along his his cheek. "Smells good."

"Tell me about it," he said. "I've had to smell it the entire time I was cooking." He smiled at the kiss. "Watch out, you might turn domestic," he teased.   
He divided the food up onto two plates and handed one to her. Clint jumped up on the bench to sit and eat. He was never quite comfortable on normal chairs.

"Only if you keep cooking for me," she countered with a smirk. Natasha ate from the counter, a soft moan of pleasure escaping her at the taste of food. She gave him a look of approval. "Good job, Barton," she praised as a thank you.

They ate in silence, both enjoying the food. When Clint had finished and found a piece of bread in the cupboard to wipe his plate with, he leaned back against the counter. "So what's the next plan?"

"Sleep first. I need to do research, see what contractors are out there that have the means to recondition him," she answered as she began to wash the dirty dishes. "HYDRA maybe. I wouldn't put it past them."

Clint frowned slightly. HYDRA was an annoying opponent - their minions were far too zealous for his liking. They'd always been interested in Cap and his friends and the supersoldier serum. His thoughts ran through what had happened since they arrived, trying to remember if there had been a symbol on the chopper.   
"This all seems a little too neat," he said, musing aloud. "Stark lucks into a sighting that someone knew would throw you into the field. We land here, get given exactly the right information for you to work out who he's going for next, and run into Barnes within hours of being on the ground. And the scientist not being in the bunker at all..."

She looked up from her dishes curiously. A contemplative expression crossed her features. "Do you think we're being set up?" she asked. It was a rational explanation for things, and she couldn't see it being possible. "But why draw me into it? Why not Cap?"

Clint shrugged. He picked up a tea towel and began to dry the dishes. "You're easier to deal with?" He grinned. "It was planned before they knew Cap was alive? How long does non-magical reconditioning take these days?"

"I'm easier to deal with? Really, Clint?" she teased him with a smile. Her thoughts were still trying to wrap around the reasoning behind this. Once the dishes were washed, she dried her hands and leaned against the counter. Her arms were crossed over her chest. "The process was a delicate one. If they weren't thorough or careful about it, they could fuck up our minds. KGB's process took them two weeks at least, depending on how thorough they wanted us to be with the new memories. Barnes seemed to be trying to break the conditioning on his own, but his arm is preventing him from doing it completely."

Clint smiled in reply. "Hey, if I was on the bad guys side and had the choice between trying to take you out, and trying to take out Cap, I know who I'd choose. You're scary, you're fantastic in a fight, don't get me wrong, but . Cap's intimidating. And e could likely take several hits from that metal limb and not notice. That and even just mentioning his name chipped at the conditioning. Can you imagine what seeing him would do?" Clint frowned slightly as another thought crossed his mind. Leverage. Tash had leverage points, and he'd blindly followed her into battle. They couldn't have known for sure that he'd be back in time for this. Could they? He banished the thoughts and forced himself to keep a blank face. He'd just have to be careful. "So we can assume the conditioning was done in a hurry, then? If he seems to be trying to break it himself?"

"They want a job done. Loud, fast and noticeable. Either they're trying to get him killed or they're trying to get someone's attention. He's already gotten SHIELD's attention and mine. If it weren't for Fury keeping this a secret from Steve, he'd have Cap's attention to. So what's the end game? Who are they trying to draw out?" she was speaking her thoughts aloud, hoping it would bring some sort of order and reason to it. Natasha moved closer to Clint, leaning against him for comfort and security. Her head was beginning to ache as she went in circles in her head. "If it was done in a hurry then we can break it. We just have to figure out how to get around his arm. Or maybe he just needs a big enough shock to override it."

"They've done the job, loud, fast and noticeable. I reckon it was designed to catch attention." He put an arm around her shoulders as she moved closer. He wouldn't like it if his past suddenly chased him down. He didn't want to point out that they seemed to have drawn out exactly who they wanted. Why else would they have backed off, and not really trying to shoot to kill with the chopper? Someone was playing a game, and he didn't like it. "We'll have to try. But we need to get him alone and in a safe place to try it properly."

Natasha wasn't one for games either, but she knew that she had to play this one in order to reach her goal. They were being used as pawns, and she didn't appreciate it one bit. She pressed herself against his side, face nuzzled into his chest. "He has to have some kind of base of operations. And he's receiving orders from someone," she added on with a frown.

Clint nodded. "You should get some rest. Stop thinking for a while," he said. 

She looked up at him with a half hopeful look. "Only if you rest with me."

"Someone's gotta keep watch, and I got sleep on the jet," he said. 

"Just for a little bit?" she insisted. Natasha wasn't much of a pleader nor was she usually this needy, but she just needed him for a little while. Her past was threatening to overwhelm her, and she just needed him there for a moment to keep her grounded and stable.

Seeing Tash like this made something twinge in his mind. She was always the solid one, the calm one, the one to rein him in when he was investing himself too personally in the mission. How was he supposed to help her through it?   
"Ok," he said, squeezing her shoulders slightly. 

There was an expression of pure relief on her face when he agreed before she shuttered it away to something more neutral. Quietly, she led him to one of the rooms in the safe house and crawled into bed. Natasha knew that Clint wouldn't sleep with her, but it would nice to have him next to her for awhile while she tried to get some rest.

Clint was almost hesitant as he climbed into the bed beside her. They'd shared body warmth in the field before - their lives had depended on it from time to time. Did knowing that they cared for the other really change things all that much? Did those three words really matter -that- much?  
He didn't bother getting under the covers - it would make it easier to sneak away once she was asleep - and put an arm around her.   
Despite all his determination to be the one keeping watch, lying down next to her was relaxing, and he did end up falling asleep.


	7. Interlude 2

Winter Soldier ran off as best as he could. His entire left side was tingling from the shocks. It hurt, and it made him stumble more than once. Every time he thought about the pain, he thought about what caused it, and the arm shocked him again. He was thankful that the helicopter was chasing the rival agents. What were their names? Barton and Roman...   
He yelled in pain as he thought her name. Natalia Romanova. Memories of a long-ago lifetime, of a forbidden friendship then a forbidden love between them flashed through his mind, and he couldn't banish them. He collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain and twitching as his arm shorted out over and over again. The pain only stopped when he finally passed out.

The helicopter had turned around upon giving Winter Soldier enough time and space to put some distance between him and the two SHIELD agents. The co-pilot checked a tracking device. "He's stopped moving. We'll have to pick him up." 

"Copy that," the passenger replied. 

They hovered over the location they had tracked Winter Soldier to and the passenger rappelled down. He pressed a button cleverly disguised in the cybernetic arm to disable it, and handcuffed the prone man. He knew the most likely reason for the man to have collapsed was from being shocked by the arm, and the reason the arm shocked was when Winter Soldier broke through the incomplete conditioning and remembered who he was. The last thing they needed was for Barnes to come to with an operational arm before they could get him back to proper restraints. The passenger rolled Winter Soldier onto a stretcher and gave the signal for them to be winched back up into the helicopter.   
When the reached the chopper, the passenger double and triple checked that the straps on the stretcher were tight, removed the handcuffs and placed a neck brace and spare headset on the man before giving the signal for them to fly back to their base. His checking was warranted when Barnes came to halfway through the flight.   
"Who are you? Where am I? Let me go!" He shouted, struggling against the restraints. What was around his neck? His nerve endings were raw and he had a splitting headache. What had happened? Why wasn't his arm moving?

"Calm down, Barnes," the passenger said, his tone of voice was calm and clinical. He was clearly someone used to giving orders and being obeyed. "You had a fall. There's some possible neck damage, so we need to keep you still. Stop moving." 

Barnes frowned. He didn't remember a fall, but it would explain the pain he was in. "What happened to my arm?" He asked. He stopped moving, not wanting to exacerbate any injuries. The man he was talking to had such a calming voice. He trusted him without a second thought. 

"Damaged in the fall. We'll see what we can do to fix it." 

Barnes' frown deepened. The arm was so much a part of him, that he didn't like it not working. "I hope you can."

He was silent for the rest of the flight. None of the helicopter's other occupants seemed to want to talk. When they landed, a crew of medics met them, and Barnes was transferred to another stretcher and wheeled into a clinical room. The medics transferred him to a bed and tightened straps across his chest, legs and wrists. 

"What are you..."

"Calm down, Barnes, its just so you don't move and hurt yourself more by accident."

Whatever it was for, he didn't like it. He couldn't remember any medical facility he had enjoyed that had restrained him like this. "Where have you brought me? Who are you?" He continued to struggle, their stories of a neck injury fading - nothing felt sore except for the raw nerve endings down his left side. 

"Sedate him," a familiar voice said from the edge of the room. Barnes struggled to lift his head to see who it was, and the recognition of the man made him struggle more fiercely. "I cannot work if he is struggling so." 

"NO!" James yelled. "NO! DON'T!" He tried in vain to use his cybernetic arm, to break out, to do anything other than lie there while one of the medics approached with a needle. He tried to do anything to get away from the last man the Winter Soldier was sent to kill before Natalia found him again.

But there was nothing he could do to stop them inserting the needle and sedating him, allowing the scientist to begin his work to recondition him to be the Winter Soldier.


	8. Picnics and plans

They slept through the better part of the night. Natasha awoke first from nightmares that she couldn't escape even with Clint warm at her side. She allowed him to sleep, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, before drawing away. Research and work had to be done. She was itching to find Barnes again. There was a horribly cold feeling that someone else might find her first. As she continued to track his next kill, she realized that the scientist hadn't been in the bunker as far as she knew. He wasn't a confirmed kill. If Barnes was already trying to break his reconditioning then his handlers would be trying to extract him and possibly correct their oversight. Memories, both the gaps and the ones she could remember of the Red Room, reminded her of the awful experience of being unmade.

Clint woke briefly as she got up but rolled over and fell asleep again. When he finally woke fully, he sat up and looked around. Where was Tash? He didn't remember her getting up. He didn't remember him falling asleep, either. He got out of bed and wandered towards the living room. "Tash? Where are you?"

"In here," she called to him from the kitchen table. She'd been using it to lay out all her research and planning. Natasha was trying to come up with the next plan of action, but she didn't have all the facts. She hated missions like these. She liked being fully prepared instead of going in blind.

Clint wandered into the kitchen, stretching as he walked. "Sorry I fell asleep," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to." His eyes opened slightly wide when he saw the level of planning she'd accomplished. "Did you get any rest?"

"I got enough," she replied distractedly. Natasha was trying to add up the facts to figure out the bigger picture. "Where's the scientist?" she asked aloud. "He wasn't in the bunker."

Clint frowned. "No sign of him in there at all? Why bother blowing it up, then? I assumed they were just covering Barnes' tracks."

"His work was in the bunker, but aside from that, it was empty. He's key in the brainwashing directive," she frowned. Natasha glanced over at him. "We need to figure out who's puppeting the Winter Soldier."

Clint sat down at the table opposite her. "When you last saw him, how good was he at fighting the brainwashing?" He asked. "Who would have the skillset to reapply it?"

She was silent as she thought it over. "There's a doctor. The KGB used him frequently, and I pinpointed him to be one of Barnes' potential kills. He took pride in joy in unmaking us before putting us back together the way he liked it."

Clint flinched a little at how she said it. How often had it happened? How many times did she remember? How many times did she not? "The missing scientist? Or another potential target?" he asked.

"The potential target. He could be on the list as a red herring. Throw us off track from who's behind this," she answered. "We should check out AIM and HYDRA's base of operations around here to cover all our bases."

Clint grinned. Observation and infiltration were always fun parts of a mission, and things he hadn't done with Tash for a long time. "Let's start with AIM," he said. "Scientists and brainwashing seem more up their alley than HYDRA's."

"We need to find their base closest to Moscow and extract any information they might have on Winter Soldier and reconditioning," she said authoritatively. Natasha felt better now that they had a course of action. She needed to do something instead of being idle.

"I'll call it in. SHIELD'll have information on that," Clint said. "I don't know how much we can trust your contacts, Tash. Whoever you spoke with yesterday certainly led us into a sticky situation very effectively."

She nodded at him, already having thought of that. Things have changed over the years. Thanks to SHIELD, she hadn't had use of her own Russian contacts, but she could see now that the time has lessened the loyalty. She was no longer one of them. "We're being forced to play their game. I don't like it one bit."

"Neither do I, but if you want to bring Barnes in, and not bring him down, I think we're going to have to," Clint said. He stood up from the table and went into the next room to make the call in. They were due for a call in, anyway.  
Coulson answered immediately, he always did. Clint gave him a brief report - full details could wait until they were back and being debriefed - and asked for the intel. Coulson sent the information through, and Clint wandered back into the kitchen, flicking through the file on his phone.  
"Closest base is about 60 miles north near Dubna. Oh, fantastic. They're under a lake." Clint put the phone on the table and slid it across to her. "Surely people have learned not to build their bases in ridiculous locations?"

Clint returned after calling in and checking in with Coulson. They got the information they needed, and she immediately took the phone from him once he offered it. She flicked through to assess the information, a look of wry amusement when he mentioned their base was under a lake. It would make things a little more difficult to infiltrate, but not impossible. "Some people haven't let go of their flare for dramatics, Barton," she teased him. She was already formulating their plan. "We need to get inside. Being under a lake won't much fun, but it's a challenge."

Clint laughed. "There's flare for the dramatic, and then there's a disaster waiting to happen. "There should be a dry entrance." He walked around behind her so he could read the phone over her shoulder. He grinned. "There's a physics institute there? That's gotta be a front."

Moving from the phone to the computer, she began doing more research on the institute. They needed to covertly get in. "They're having a gala this evening, conveniently enough, to raise money for their research. Another front, I'm sure," she said to him. "We can slip in as one of the guests and case the place. See what they have hiding underneath."

"Almost too convenient," Clint muttered. "I hate getting dressed up. It's inconvenient and uncomfortable and I didn't pack that kind of suit."

"Might be part of the game. Regardless, we'll have to play along," she pointed out. They knew they had to play the game. "I'm sure Coulson can set something up for us. I didn't pack an evening gown either, you know."

Clint had to smile at the thought of her in an evening dress. It wasn't anything new, he'd seen her dressed up before, but she always looked stunning.

"Tell Coulson what we need. I'll make sure we get in," Natasha reassured him, giving a little stretch. She'd been working herself relentless over the research.

Clint nodded. He sent Coulson an email with their request, and received a reply back minutes later saying 'Items will be delivered at 3pm local'. Clint sent a thank-you back before putting the phone on the table and walking over to the computer. "You should take a break, Nat," he said. "You're all tense."

Reluctantly, she gave a nod. "I think I'm going to take a quick shower. Work out the kinks in my muscles," she relented. Natasha knew that if she didn't, Clint would strong arm her into doing so. She offered him a smile. "Try not to miss me too much, Barton," she teased as she headed towards the bathroom.

He rolled his eyes at her, but he was smiling. Once she'd left the room, he sat down at the computer. Tash had somehow managed to find the guest list for the gala, and he scanned through out of curiosity, not expecting to recognize any of the names. He frowned when he reached the bottom of the list. Clive and Barbara Pride... Those were the names he and Mockingbird had been using on their last mission... He scanned back up the list and noticed two other names who were on the list of Barnes' potential targets. He didn't like this at all.

Natasha spent a little longer in the shower than she intended. She relished the hot water as it soothed her fatigue and aching muscles. When she stepped out, she was pleasantly refreshed and felt more human. She didn't dress in her black uniform this time, opting instead for casual clothing until their evening clothes arrived. She joined Clint back at the table. "Find anything?"

Clint had shifted back to the table, and was staring at the information on the two potential targets. He frowned as she asked the question. "Yeah, and it's making me nervous. These two are on the list." He slid the target information across the table at her. "And there are two other names on the list that... Shouldn't be there. People that don't really exist."

"Maybe it's not a real event. Maybe it's just one they're setting up to draw us there," she nodded as she looked over the list. Curiously, she glanced at Clint. "How do you know that? The names, I mean."

"Because they were the names Bob... Mockingbird and I were using while undercover..." Clint stared at the table, not sure how she would take the news.

Her jaw clenched, but there wasn't much she could really say, not when they were tracking down a lover from her past. Natasha nodded, a jerky movement. She tried to keep her mind on the mission. "They knew we would come out here then. They knew I would anyway, so either they were counting on you to come with me or they're trying to be funny."

"Or they knew that that cover was originally meant to be for Hawkeye and Black Widow, not Hawkeye and Mockingbird," Clint said, looking up at her. He didn't like this at all. This level of interference with their missions, this level of _gameplay_ meant that there was a mole inside SHIELD, or that someone was playing a very long game. "So what's the connection with those two targets and you and Barnes?" he asked.

It gave her room for pause. She'd forgotten that the mission had been intended for her instead of Mockingbird. She looked over the potential targets that were on the list, and she frowned deeply. "They were our handlers. We took orders from them without a fault. They told the scientists what to put in our heads and how to make us better weapons," she explained. The more they learned about the situation, the less she liked it.

Clint nodded. This had to be hard for her. "What are you likely to do if we see these handlers? Do we risk going tonight? I don't like it. It smells like a setup."

"It's our only lead, Clint," she insisted. Natasha didn't like it either, but they had nothing else to go on. "If we see them tonight, we'll take care of it. We need to do whatever's necessary to bring Winter Soldier back because if he remains in whoever controls him, things are only going to get worse."

He nodded. They'd just have to be careful. Very careful. "Did you leave any hot water?"

"Of course, I'm not that cruel," she teased, trying to lighten the situation. It felt too much like they were walking straight into trouble later. Natasha wanted them to enjoy the time they had before things went south.

Clint smiled. "I'm going to go and shower," he said, standing up from the table. He knew she was trying to make light of things and he appreciated it.

"I'll keep doing research," she called to him, offering him a smile. Natasha went back to work to try and piece more information. She didn't want them going in completely blind.

Clint nodded and left the room. The shower was relaxing, and true to her word, Natasha had left him some hot water. He washed off the sweat and grime of the previous day's exercise and tried to gather his thoughts. All he could think of, though was that they were in trouble, but they couldn't report it in, or they would be pulled out. He could see how important it was for Tash to get Barnes out of this mess.  
He returned to the kitchen dressed in jeans and his favourite battered purple t-shirt. If he was dressing up tonight, he was going to dress down during the day. "Any new links?" he asked.

"I got our invitation. I played right into their hands the way they wanted me to. I requested the invitations for the Pride couple, and they confirmed it. They were the only two that hadn't been picked up," she answered him. Natasha looked unhappy because this meant they wanted them to go to the gala. "What do they want with us? What do they have waiting?" she mused, thinking aloud to herself. "It's too much work for them to just kill us."

Clint frowned and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd ask 'Who have we pissed off in the past', but I get the feeling that the list would be far too long to narrow anything down. What do we know?" He sat on the bench and started counting off the information they'd figured out. "They knew about the last mission I was on with Mockingbird. We can only assume that they knew you should have been the one out with me, too. So, failing that, they tried again to get us in the field together. They know you well enough that you'd come running if Barnes showed up." Clint resisted the urge to add 'They know you better than I thought I did'. "They knew I'd follow you," he continued. "They know your old contacts... they've poached them."  
He sighed and jumped off the bench. He needed to think about something other than tonight and what it would bring. "Let's do something fun," he said. "We've got six hours to kill before tonight's gear is dropped off. We can spend all day throwing ideas back and forward. It's just going to make things tense."

The idea of something fun was hard to warm to at first. Natasha liked being the consummate professional, and there was so much on the line here. Regardless, she could see the weariness in Clint's eyes, and she could feel it in her bones. She knew that they needed to do something just for them without having to worry about Barnes or Morse or anything else. "What do you have in mind?"? she asked him with a quirked brow. She looked intrigued and willing. She couldn't help but tease. "Is this the part where you take me out on a date?"

He teased back without missing a beat. "No, that's tonight."

"Taking me straight into action and combat, all while I wear a pretty dress," she grinned at him. "You know me so well."

Clint returned the grin. It was good to see her smile. "If I don't, who else has a chance?" he asked. "Let's do something touristy. We travel all around the world to gather intelligence and kill people, but we rarely get to see any of it."

They were grinning at each other like kids, and it was nice. Most of the tension was melting away though it stayed in the back of her mind. Natasha gave him an agreeable nod. "Okay, we'll do the touristy stuff, but just because I like you," she smirked.

"Well, you being the local, where would you recommend?"

"It depends what you're in the mood to see. Plenty of beautiful parks and architecture," she offered with a little shrug.

Clint grinned. He knew this wasn't exactly professional, but it would help them relax. They'd need to be on full alert that evening, and sitting around hypothesizing about who was behind all this would would just make things worse. There was also the risk of someone recognizing them while they were out. "Let's find a park and have a picnic," he said.

It was a quaint idea, and it made her smile. She couldn't resist moving closer to him, lacing her fingers through his. Natasha looked up at him and gave a small nod. "There is a park in Moscow that I think you will enjoy," she told him with a grin. "Gorky Park. Very popular tourist attraction and a lovely spot for a picnic."

"Sounds like fun," Clint said. "I'll just get my jacket."  
Clint left the room and returned with his favourite beaten-up leather jacket. He'd also concealed his pistol in an interior pocket. He didn't entirely trust that things wouldn't go wrong. The one disadvantage with the bow was that it wasn't exactly practical to carry while undercover.

Natasha had been dressed in a pair of jeans and white tank top. While he'd gone to retrieve his jacket, she did the same. On her person, she had her Glock hidden away as well as a knife in her boot. She never went out unarmed especially when they were out on a mission. "Are you ready for some Russian food?" she teased when he joined her again.

"I've had Russian food before. It was the drink that didn't agree with me," he replied.

"Amateur," she smirked. Natasha grabbed the keys to the car they were assigned to in Moscow.

"I seem to remember I was drinking with someone who'd had far too much practice with it," he teased.

"It's not my fault you can't keep up with me, Barton," she smirked as they exited the safehouse and walked to the car.

"No, but you could at least slow down enough to make me feel like a man," he said. "It's embarrassing when you are drunk under the table by a lady half your weight." Clint got into the passenger seat.

She settled in the driver's seat and started the car once he was comfortable. Natasha gave him a shit eating grin because she loved drinking him under the table, particularly with her poison of choice. "Glad you still think I'm a lady," she winked.

"I have to think something, don't I? And you do act like it. Sometimes."

"Sometimes," she agreed as she drove them towards the park. From what she could recall, there were food places along there for them to choose from their picnic. "But I have to keep up with your non-gentleman ways somehow, you know."

"Are you implying I'm not a gentleman?" He said, laughing.

"Only when you want to be. Most of the time, you can be quite the cad," she teased him.

He tried to look hurt, but he was too genuinely happy. They never got any time to spend with each other without worrying too much about missions.

The park looked pretty. There were lots of tourists and locals around, but Clint felt more comforted than nervous about this. It would make it a lot easier to blend in, and more difficult for anyone to spot them.

The park was popular tourist attraction. There were always a crowd of people filtering in and out. Once she had the car parked, she jumped out and waited for him to join her. If anyone made a move on them now, it would make national, if not global news. "I don't want to hear any Soviet Russia jokes from you today," she warned him playfully, just as happy as he was to be out and spending quality time with him.

"I can't stop myself," he said. "I am, as you said, a cad." He offered her a hand. If they were pretending to be a couple, they might as well try to sell it.

Natasha slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. She pressed herself closer and smiled. "Mm, true, but at least you're my cad."

Clint smiled. He glanced around at the food vendors, and upon seeing an image of a burger with teeth and eyes, couldn't resist muttering, "In Soviet Russia, burger eats you?" He grinned. "What would you recommend to eat?"

She sighed in exasperation at his joke. They hadn't even been there five minutes. "There's a little bit of everything. From traditional Russian to things from around the world. My favorite are the shashlyk."

"I'll trust your judgement," he said.

She led him over to one of the vendors that sold shashlyk and expertly ordered them a few along with something to drink. It was almost funny how easy it was to slip back into Russian even though her accent had long since disappeared.

Clint took one of the skewers from her as she returned. "Looks tasty."

"They are," she grinned as she led them to an open spot beneath the park.

Clint followed her to the open space, dodging a few small children who were running through the crowd and ducking out of the way of several tourists' cameras. He sat down next to her when they reached the clear area. He felt a little on edge with all these people around, but knew if they were going to spend some time in public, the more people the better. He took a bite out of the skewer. "You're right. This is good."

The afternoon passed by sweetly as Natasha spent the day with Clint. For a little while, she could forget the mission that loomed before the and the trap they were surely walking into. She could just lose herself in the fact that they were essentially on a date together in Moscow, enjoying their picnic in Gorky park. She slipped into her cover as a couple with him much to easily, and she allowed herself to be much more affectionate than she would've been allowed. As the day stretched on, eventually, she knew it was time to return to their safe house and prepare for the gala.

Clint enjoyed the day far more than he should have, and far more than he'd ever done for such a cover in the past. As the day wore on, the tension started to build. Eventually, he could feel the mutual decision it was time to return to the safe house and prepare for the evening.  
"I guess it's time to go back, huh?" he asked. "Give you time to get ready," he teased.

"It's not easy to be so beautiful," she teased back, her hand comfortably held in his. They made their way back to the car even though there was some reluctance. They had to face tonight, but at least they had a wonderful memory to keep them going.

He nodded. "Can't say I've ever had that problem," he replied.

They arrived back at the safe house to find that their clothing had been delivered early and left hanging in the hallway. Clint opened the suit bag while it was hanging on the hook in the hallway and sighed. At least it wasn't over the top. A well-cut black jacket, pants and a slightly lighter black shirt and tie. The first time he'd been sent undercover to a gala event, Coulson had thought it would be funny to send him along in a very Bond-esque tux.  
He unhooked the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "What'd they choose for you?" he asked.

Natasha opened her garment bag to reveal the purple lace dress inside. She smiled appreciatively because Coulson knew her tastes well. She quickly zipped it back up to hide it from Clint. Playfully, she smirked at him. "You'll just have to wait and see, Barton," she teased.

Clint rolled his eyes at her reply. "So cryptic, Tash," he said. "Mind if I shower first?"

"Go ahead. I'll go over the details once more just to see if we've missed anything."

Clint showered and shaved and put his jeans back on. He'd get changed into the suit later. There was no sense in wrinkling it while sitting around the house. He returned to the kitchen, got a drink out of the fridge and sat on the bench. "Have we missed anything?" he asked.

"None that I could see. I don't think anything will really reveal itself until the gala tonight," she frowned. Natasha noticed that he'd shaved and reached out to touch his smooth face affectionately. "I liked the scruff."

He shrugged. "It'll be back in a day or so," he said. "It wasn't really long enough to do anything else with."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a slight smile. "Just accept the affection, Barton," she teased before setting down her papers. Natasha gave a little stretch. "Hope you left me hot water."

He winked. "I guess you'll have to wait and find out," he said.

"You better have," she warned him as she wandered off to the bathroom to take her shower.

Clint watched her go, smiling. He jumped off the bench and sat down at the table, flicking through the files and the intel. Spending the morning out like they had had been slightly unprofessional, but he had to admit it had lifted the tension. They didn't get to spend enough time in each others company without their being the need to be infiltrating or assassinating someone.

He gave her half an hour to shower before getting changed himself. He looked put the pants and shirt on and looked at himself in the mirror. Coulson really knew what he was doing with suits. He left the jacket hanging in the bag, and sat down on the couch in the lounge room to wait for Natasha.


	9. Interlude 3

Winter Soldier woke, tied down to a hospital bed. His neck and shoulder were sore, and he had a splitting headache. He looked around the room, seeing if there was someone who could release him. No-one was in the room, but a medic appeared after a minute or two and unbuckled the restraints. The medic left without saying a word. 

Winter Soldier sat up and rubbed his wrists. How long had he been out for? What had happened? What had gone wrong with his mission? Why had he not simply returned to the safe house? He swung his legs off the bed and stood up. 

"Winter Soldier, you are not to leave this room," a disembodied voice announced over a PA system. "Your debriefing will commence in five minutes. Please sit in the chair to your right." 

Winter Soldier looked for the chair. He sat, placing his arms onto the armrests, as his training told him was the usual procedure. 

Those five minutes dragged. He tried to think over what had happened on the mission, but it wasn't clear. He could remember interference by another agency, but the details were fuzzy. It wasn't the first time he had returned from a mission and found the details difficult to recall; it was embarrassing, but he assumed that, like the other times, his handlers would fill in the details. 

Five minutes later, the screen on the far wall glowed into life, showing a paused video of a forest. "State your name and your last mission." The same voice spoke over the PA system. 

"Winter Soldier. To..." He frowned. What were the finer details of his last mission? "To remove Solokoff from play," he said uncertainly. 

"Did you succeed?" 

"No."

"Why did you fail?" 

"Interference."

"Is that an excuse?" 

"No. It is a reason." Winter Soldier was more confident in that reply. The comment just felt right. 

The man behind the PA system pressed a button on his desk, and a sharp shock was delivered through the arms of the chair to the Winter Soldier. "There are no excuses, no reasons for not completing a mission." Solokoff said, anger creeping into his voice. They had to condition the snarky comments out of Barnes. They were one of the few things that could remind the man of himself. 

Winter Soldier cringed and yelled in surprise as the shock was delivered. 

"Someone else arrived. Two agents. Two American agents. Watch the video, please, Winter Soldier." Solokoff pressed a button, and the video began to play. It showed Winter Soldier lying on the crest of the hill on one half of the screen and footage of the entrance to the bunker on the other. A minute into the footage, a woman with bright red hair, dressed in a black catsuit approached the bunker and went inside. 

Winter Soldier frowned when he saw her. "That is one of the agents who interfered," he said, but there was something else familiar about the woman. 

Solokoff watched his captive carefully. It was difficult to determine whether the man recognized Romanov from his last mission, or from earlier. "Keep watching," he said.  
Another subdivision of the screen appeared, and showed a man dressed in black and purple fatigues, carrying, of all weapons, a bow. Winter Soldier recognized him as the man who had...  
Romanov... Barton... He remembered what had happened, but he also remembered the pain their appearance had caused. He fought to keep the recognition from showing, not wanting to invoke the pain again.

"Do you know this woman?" Solokoff asked. 

Winter Soldier nodded, carefully. "I do. She is the woman who stopped me from completing my mission," he said. 

"Do you know her name?" 

Winter Soldier frowned, trying to make it look like he was thinking. "I do not." 

"Do you recall if either of them spoke to you?" 

"I do not." Winter Soldier lied. He remembered flashes of conversation, and flashes of pain. He didn't know why he didn't want to tell the truth, but something told him he didn't want to tell the truth.

Solokoff nodded. He believed Winter Soldier, after all, the conditioning they'd put him through when he got back should have wiped that information from his mind. 

"The woman's name is Barbara Pride. She has been sent to kill you by the Americans," he said. "The man is her partner, currently going by the name of Clive Pride, codenamed Hawkeye, and posing as her husband." 

"Why didn't she kill me?" Winter Soldier asked. 

Solokoff resisted the urge to shock Winter Solider again. He wasn't meant to ask questions during brief and debrief, but this could work to their advantage."We do not know. When we found out she was there, we sent in backup." 

Winter Soldier nodded. He recalled the sound of the helicopter, and the running... and the pain. The memory of the pain was so all encompassing that he couldn't stop himself from cringing. Solokoff noticed the behavior. "Do you have something you wish to add, Winter Soldier?" 

"Just remembered pain, sir. Was I injured?" 

"Yes. Hawkeye shot you with a taser-tipped arrow. You were unconscious when we found you." Solokoff used the excuse, just in case Winter Soldier remembered he had been shocked into unconsciousness. The scientist did not like that he had been forced to speed up the time required for the brainwashing. It made the process incomplete, and for a mind like that of Barnes, who had almost conditioned himself against any interference with his mind, it was dangerous. Especially when the process had been applied to draw out an old flame. This mission to the bunker already proved that it was dangerous for them to continue sending Barnes out against Romanov, if they wanted to keep him conditioned. A five minute conversation was all she had needed to place cracks in his conditioning.  
Winter Soldier accepted the explanation for the pain. It did feel like the result of electric shocks. 

"The medics have declared you recovered," Solokov said. "You will be returned to the safe-house to await your next mission. Stand in the centre of the room with your eyes closed to await your transport." 

Winter Solider stood up and moved to the centre of the room without hesitation. This was all standard procedure. He heard people enter the room. Someone placed a blindfold over his head, and two took his arms to lead him to the transport. None of this bothered him, or so his training told him. He was not allowed to know where the base was. This was all standard procedure.

The blindfold was removed when they arrived at Winter Soldier's safe house, and the man left his eyes closed for a further count of sixty seconds. He opened his eyes and entered the house. When he stepped inside he knew instinctively that something had changed. He walked through the house slowly, remaining alert, and systematically checked through the whole house room by room. Nothing was different until he reached the lounge room. He didn't hesitate when he saw the man sitting on the lounge. He drew his gun.

"Who are you?" he hissed. 

The man stood up and turned to face Winter Soldier. "You do not remember me?" he asked, smiling. 

"I would not have asked otherwise," Winter Soldier replied. "Who are you?"

"Albrecht Hermann, your handler." 

Winter Soldier lowered his gun. The name and man were now familiar. He returned the gun to its holster. "You have a mission for me?"

"I do." Hermann handed Winter Soldier a small, high quality envelope. "Three targets will be present at this Gala. Lionel Capello, and Barbara and Clive Pride." 

Winter Soldier stiffened as Hermann announced the last two names. "They are already targets?" he asked, confused. He forced himself not to even think of their other names. He couldn't risk being shocked in front of Hermann. 

"They interfered with your mission. Of course they are already targets. You will be attending the event under my name," Hermann said. "There is a suit waiting for you in the bedroom."

Hermann stood up. "Do you understand your mission?" 

Winter Soldier paused before asking. "Do I take them all out?" 

"As many as you can, just be discrete about it. Capture is also acceptable for the Pride couple." Hermann picked up his hat from the side table. "Your contact will no longer be made by phone. I will be your point of call." He walked to the door. "Do you understand your mission?" 

Winter Soldier nodded. "I do," he confirmed. 

"Excellent. Good Luck." Hermann put his hat on and left the house.  
Winter Soldier looked at the envelope. He pulled the ticket out and examined it. The gala was almost an hours travel north of his current location and started in just over two. He would have to work fast to get there in time to case the place. He felt a tingle run down his left side as if in warning as he recalled his targets. Barbara and Clive Pride. Why did his superiors want them taken in alive, rather than just taken out of play? And how had they become so much of a threat since... when had that interaction been? Two days ago? Or was it just one? His timeline was out of whack. 

He walked into the bedroom, washed up and changed into the tuxedo that had been left for him. He had to smile when he looked at himself in the mirror. He'd brushed his hair back an fastened it into a pony tail. The only things that were really spoiling the rather dapper look was his metallic left hand and the domino mask, still across his eyes. He reached up to remove the mask, hesitated for a moment, remembering the shock that had been delivered when he had last tried to remove it, before deciding that if they wanted him to pass unnoticed, they would have to accept the removal of the mask. 

He was relieved when he found he could remove the mask without any pain. He placed it on the bedside table, picked up the ticket and walked to the front door. He reached for the door handle with his left hand and realised that that would still be a dead giveaway to anyone who was looking for something out of the ordinary. He decided he would stop and purchase a pair of gloves to wear for the evening on the way. 

Someone had returned his vehicle during the time he had been at the base being debriefed. He walked around the car, briefly checking for any interference with the vehicle, before getting in and commencing his journey to Dubna and the Gala.


	10. The Gala

Natasha showered, trying to wash away the tension building up. Tonight, everything was going to come down to tonight, and she had a terrible feeling about it. Her instincts never failed her, but she couldn't help but go against them. They had no other choice. Once she was clean, she began to process of styling her red curls and putting on her make-up. She went from deadly assassin to a glamorous socialite with a few artistic swipes of her brush. Before she put on her dress, she made sure to strap her weapons on to her beneath it. She needed to be prepared. Finally, she slid on her heels and went to join Clint in the living room.

Clint couldn't help it. His jaw dropped when she entered the lounge room. He'd seen her go through such a transformation before, of course, but he couldn't recall if he'd ever noticed exatly how beautiful she could be. He scrambled to his feet, instinctively recalling some half-learnt childhood lesson about standing when a Lady entered the room.  
"Tash, you look... I mean, Tash you -are- beautiful," he stuttered. 

The look Clint gave her made her smile, and she did a little twirl to give him a good look. It was adorable the way he stood up and tripped over his words. Natasha approached him and grinned. "You look great too, Barton. You cut a nice figure in a suit."

Clint grinned. "I know," he said. "Are you ready to go?" He walked over to the coffee table, where he'd left his jacket and his concealment holster and put both on. He wriggled slightly to get the holster to sit properly and sighed. He wished he could take his bow.

Natasha double checked her weapons before smoothing out her dress. "Ready," she nodded at him. Before they leave, she tugged him towards her. Gently, she placed a lingering kiss on his lips.

Clint was so surprised, he almost didn't return the kiss. He smiled at her as they broke apart. "Let's get going," he said. Dressed like that, if she kept being affectionate, they wouldn't make it out the door. 

"Let's go," she nodded with a smile, trying to shake off the shadow of foreboding that clung to her. Nantahala took his hand as they went outside to the car. They had a drive to make.

Clint did a quick lap around the car before getting into the driver's seat. He drove out to the highway and turned north towards Dubna. He glanced over at Tash occasionally; he could tell that she was tense from her body language. Once they hit the highway, he set the cruise control and offered her his hand, if she wanted to hold it.  
He was just as nervous. He hated walking into traps, especially when springing the trap seemed like the only option. 

They rode in silence to the gala. Natasha gratefully took his hand in hers. She soaked up his comfort as they both mentally prepared themselves. They got into the city sometime later and drove up to the Institute as Barbara and Clive Pride.

When they arrived, Clint tossed his keys to the valet, before walking around to the passenger door to open it for Natasha. He looked around as he did, glad that it did seem to be like a normal gala. At least it wasn't just them walking into a trap in black-tie. 

Natasha stepped out of the car, taking Clint's hand. She stepped into the role of Barbara even as the Black Widow lurked underneath. The gala was in full swing when they joined everyone, and it had all the looks and feel of a real event. She stayed close to Clint's side as they cased the area for unfriendlies.

Clint slipped back into the role of Clive Pride with no problems. It was different, and more reassuring having Widow at his side rather than Mockingbird. He trusted Black Widow with his life. They smiled and nodded and made small talk with the other guests. Clint didn't sense anything strange, which was odd, because he'd learned years ago to trust his instincts on matters like this. Everyone here seemed genuinely happy to be here, and interested in what the Institute was researching.  
They became entrenched in a discussion with one of the professors of the research over the merits of one process over another. Clint smiled and nodded as best he could, but he really had no idea what the man was going on about. He noticed Tash had almost finished her drink and used it as an excuse to step away. "Excuse me for a moment, do you want another one, dear?" he asked. 

Winter Soldier mingled with the crowds, trying to smile and look like he belonged. He had been one of the first guests to arrive, and had spent the first half an hour lounging in a chair at the bar, watching for his targets. He'd made Capello as soon as the large man had walked into the ballroom, but had not found either of his other targets yet.  
He took another sip from the drink he had been nursing for over an hour now, smiled and nodded at a couple who said 'Hi' to him as he walked past and then turned to his right, perhaps a little too quickly as a flash of red hair and purple lace jumped out at him from the corner of his vision. He couldn't tell from behind whether it was his target or not; she certainly didn't look the same as the last time he had seen her if that was the case.  
As he made his way through the crowds to get a closer look, the tingling in his arm began again. A brief memory, seemingly of a past life flashed through his mind and his arm delivered another shock. Focus on the moment, Barnes, he told himself, but that didn't help. Thinking his name delivered a second shock through his system and he stumbled, accidentally spilling his drink on a nearby man.

Natasha smiled indulgently at their company. She pretended to be enthused by what they were saying, keeping up with the ebb and flow of the conversation. When Clint excused himself, she smiled at him sweetly and brushed her lips along his cheek as a thank you. He'd only been gone for a little while when she heard a commotion next to her. Her attention was caught by the man, and she recognized him instantly. Natasha went to his side and plastered a gentle smile on her face to assist. "Are you okay?" she asked in Russian.

Winter Soldier looked up as he heard the woman's voice. "Yes, yes," he said. He stood up straight and smiled at her. The redhead in the purple lace dress was indeed Barbara Pride. Now he just needed to identify her partner.

Barnes smiled at her, and she could read in his eyes that they'd corrected his conditioning. "Please, may I assist you? Perhaps you need some air?" she offered him. Natasha hoped that maybe if she pulled him aside, she could break his conditioning.

Clint returned from the bar and looked around for Nat. When he saw who he was talking to, he nearly dropped the drinks. He forced a smile onto his face as he joined them. "Here, Babs," he said, handing her the drink. He smiled at Barnes and offered his right hand for a shake. "What are you doing, dear?" he muttered, hiding the comment by kissing her ear.

"Clive, sweetheart," she greeted him, taking the drink from him with a smile. Natasha pressed close to him and pretended to giggle girlishly as if he murmured something amusing into her. "Trying to break his conditioning," she whispered back before returning to Barnes. "Come, let us get some air out on the terrace."

Clint put an arm around her shoulders to hold her close to him. "Not the time or the place," he muttered.  
Winter Soldier smiled at the couple. Both his targets so close, but Hermann's instructions made him stay his hand. He'd take out Capello first, and then come back for these two. "Unfortunately I can't, I have a meeting with someone else to make."

She shot Clint a petulant look, but no matter what she wanted, Winter Soldier seemed intent to leave their company. Natasha placed on her most charming smile. "Oh? With who? Perhaps we know them," she said smoothly.

"I know, but to do that, we need to get him on his own." Clint knew she was unhappy, and let her go. If her anger was showing on her face, it would be showing in her body language, and they were meant to be a happy couple. "I know what you were like when I tried to break your conditioning, and we don't need that much violence in a crowded room if we're trying to be discrete," he said.

Clint released her hold on her, and she tried very hard to compose herself. She knew that he was right, but it didn't make it any easier. Natasha didn't like being at the Institute, not when it had all the trappings of trouble. She sighed and nodded, taking a sip of her drink. Her arm looped through his and she gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry," she murmured softly to him, leaning against his arm.

"It's ok. I don't like being here either," Clint said. He'd tracked Barnes across the ballroom and had seen him follow someone into the bathroom. "Can you hold my drink? I'm just going to the men's room."

Natasha took his drink, knowing that he was going after Barnes. She couldn't resist to lean forward to kiss his cheek and murmur into his ear, "Be careful."

"You know me too well," he said. "I'll try."

All she could do was wait it out patiently. To go over there would cause a scene, so she gave him a twenty minute window. It was already generous enough on her part.

Clint crossed the room carefully, slipping semi-unnoticed past groups of people chatting amicably, blissfully unaware of what was going on around them. He leaned against the wall outside the bathroom for twenty minutes, so it wouldn't look too much like he was following Barnes in. No strange sounds emerged from the bathroom, and Clint was beginning to wonder whether he had imagined Winter Soldier entering the bathroom when he heard a strangled cry followed by a thud.  
He didn't hesitate. He pushed the bathroom door open, walking straight for the urinals, but looking around, assessing the situation. Barnes was standing over what appeared to be the body of a large man.  
Winter Soldier couldn't contain his surprise. Had Hawkeye followed him? Or was it just serendipity that the man had come to the bathroom at the same time. Where was his partner? He smiled. "You're almost making this too easy," he said, walking towards Barton.  
Clint backed up towards the door. This had been a mistake. He reached the door, and swore. He'd forgotten the door opened inwards and found himself backed up against it. He wondered if he could talk his way out of this. "Bucky. James. Think of what Steve Rogers would think of you if he caught you doing this..."  
Winter Soldier felt a tingle as the names were mentioned, but the reaction was not as strong as it had been during their last encounter. He smiled. So that tactic wouldn't help them this time. "Looks like that won't help you." He stretched the fingers of his cybernetic hand. "If you hold still, this shouldn't hurt. Much."

Natasha forced herself to wait the twenty minutes. It was hard to do. Her eyes kept traveling to the clock, and it seemed to go by so painfully slow. When it finally hit the twenty minute mark, she set their drinks down to head to the men's bathroom. Not very many people were paying attention to her. She quietly pressed the door open, but found that it wouldn't open all the way because it kept hitting something. There was enough room for her to slip in, and when she did, she found Winter Soldier advancing on Clint. "James, stop," she said immediately, moving to stand protectively in front of her partner.

There was a tingling feeling in his arm as she said his name, but it was nowhere near as intense as it had been when he had seen her in the field. "You are really both making this too easy." 

Clint was both annoyed and relieved that she'd appeared. Winter Soldier's conditioning seemed to be more secure this time, and he'd left them alone on the ballroom floor for a reason, and now they were both stuck in the room with him, and whatever his orders were.

"Let's take this outside, Bucky," Clint said. "There's no sense in making a mess in here. Keep it stealthy." He gently pushed Natasha aside and stepped forward.  
Winter Soldier growled and clenched his fist. "Stop calling me that. They're not my names. I'm Winter Soldier." He stepped forward so he was face to face with Clint. "Pride. Hawkeye, whatever your name is. You want to take this outside?" Winter Soldier reached out with his right hand and took hold of Natasha's arm. He smiled. Parts of his briefing that he didn't remember quite as clearly as others reminded him that these two were thought to be too close; that one might be used as leverage against the other. "Lets take this outside, and away from all these people, then."  
Clint frowned. Why was he agreeing so quickly?

Natasha looked up at Winter Soldier quizzically when he referred to her as Pride. Their earlier incident with him must have been conditioned out whenever they lost track of him. His hand wrapped around her arm, tugging her about. When they exited the bathroom, they all put on calm demeanors as to not alarm everyone at the gala. They smoothly made their way outside of the Institute. "My name isn't Pride," she told him coolly. "It's Romanov. You knew that once upon a time."

"You make it sound like a fairy tale, Natalia," Clint said, using her original name, in the hope it would trigger something in Banes.  
Winter Soldier frowned. Natalia Romanova? Not Barbara Pride? A tingle shot down his arm as he thought the first name. Her face was familiar... He grunted in pain as the shock intensified. When the pain passed, he gripped her arm harder and pulled her in close. "You're both going to come with me."

"A true fairy tale, Barton," Natasha's lips twisted into a dark rueful smile. "The kind with tragedy and bloodshed. That's what I do best." She turned her attention back to Winter Soldier and saw his face contort in pain. He tugged her close to him until she her body was flush against his. "By all means, lead the way, Barnes."

"Tash," Clint said cautiously. "You're not seriously just going to let him drag you off."

"I'll be fine, Clint," she said to him evenly. There was no fear in her voice, just sheer determination, and Natasha was willing to retrieve Barnes at any cost. "I know him, and I know how he works."

 

"You knew him," Clint said, but he knew that tone of voice. He couldn't talk her out of it.  
Winter Soldier smiled. "You seem to misunderstand. You're both coming with me."

"Even better," Natasha replied wryly without missing a beat. He hadn't let go of his hold on her. She gave Clint a look, knowing that he'd be comforted if he was brought along.

"Tash..."  
"You don't have an option, Hawekeye." Winter Soldier lifted his left hand and placed it around Natasha's throat. "Are you going to cooperate?"  
Clint's jaw clenched. He didn't like this at all, but he trusted Natasha had a plan. 

She gazed at Winter Soldier evenly as he wrapped his hand around her throat. She could feel the pressure around it, but she didn't falter. Natasha could feel Clint's unhappiness rolling off of him in waves, but she knew they had to go along with it for now. "You have our cooperation."

"Fine. Lead on," he said. He did find it curious that Barnes was taking them in without checking them for weapons, but he wasn't about to complain. "Take us to your leader."  
Winter Soldier released Natasha's throat and dragged her off, away from the institute. Clint walked alongside, willing to trust Natasha's plan, whatever it was. "I hope you know what you're doing," he muttered.

They had their weapons on them, and Natasha was confident in her own ability in hand to hand combat. Now that they were out in the open, she planned on trying to break his conditioning. "We were in Moscow the last time we met," she said to Winter Soldier conversationally even as he dragged her along. "You and I, we shared my last bottle of good vodka after our last kill."

The tingling began again. "Don't talk to me," Winter Soldier growled.

"I got mad at you because you hogged most of it. Didn't even give me the last sip, but I couldn't stay mad for long because I knew you needed it more than I did. Our wetwork. It was wearing down on the both of us, you most of all," she continued, undeterred by his growl.

The tingling began again, as forgotten memories crept to the edges of his thoughts. He stopped walking and turned her to face him. "Do you want your partner to survive the evening?" he asked.

Natasha's gaze cut to Clint. It seemed Winter Soldier could sense her only weakness. "Steve never stopped wondering after you. You or the rest of his friends," she said carefully. She needed to test her limits and see how far she could go.

"Steve who?" Winter Soldier asked. "I have no memories of a Steve." Though even as he said it, he knew it wasn't quite true, as the threat of a shock from his arm intensified.

"Steve Rogers. Captain America," she continued on. Natasha looked over at Clint, making sure he was okay as well. She hoped that she was getting through to Winter Soldier to break down his conditioning.

Clint was watching her, concerned. He knew what she was trying to pull, but it made him nervous. Yesterday, as they'd begun getting through to him, the helicopter had shown up, indicating that someone was monitoring him. If they were watching Barnes again, and they'd left him with instructions to bring them in, they might not be as lucky as to be just chased away. He hated being held captive. It was annoying and inconvenient, and always made debriefings three times as long as they should be as Coulson tried to pull apart what had gone wrong and why they had been captured. 'Sorry, Phil, we walked freely into a trap' generally didn't cut it. He looked around as Natasha tried to get through the conditioning, keeping an eye out for anything that would indicate a 

As she said his one-time-friends' full name and alias, Winter Soldier was crippled by the shock that had been threatening him. He let go of Natasha's arm and fell to his knees. "Stop. Reminding. Me. Of. My. Past," Barnes said. "It hurts."

The collar they had on him to reign him in whenever they tried to break his conditioning was out in full force. She had Clint there to watch her back in case things went south, and she was relieved that he was there with her. They were breaking Winter Soldier down, and as he fell down to the ground on his knees, she watched him with an unrelenting gaze. "You need to level out," she told him, saying the words she once told Clint. It had been the same phrase he used on her when she broke her own conditioning. "If you come with us, you can see Steve again."

At the mention of Steve's name again, Barnes let out a yell of pain, and almost tried to tear his cybernetic arm off. He wanted to go with them. James Buchanan Barnes wanted wanted to remember, but with such negative reinforcement that they were forcing onto him, the other option was just so much more pleasant. With a growl of anger and pain, he pushed banished the memories and pushed himself to his feet and glared down at her, once again the Winter Soldier. "You don't seem to understand. I can't. It hurts. Do I need to gag you to stop you from talking? Do I need to injure your partner permanently? I can't imagine a combat archer with a missing hand would be all too effective," he said, his voice menacing.  
"I'd like to see you try, Bucky," Clint muttered.  
Winter Soldier looked over at the archer. "Don't tempt me. And don't call me that."  
Clint was about to reply again when his ears twitched. Sometimes, though they were uncomfortable, the augmentation on his hearing aids was useful in narrowing down the little sounds of someone sneaking up on them. Several somebodies, in fact. He turned around to look into the darkness, to try and see who was approaching. He counted at least eight flashes of movement. "We've got company," he said, reaching into his jacket for his gun.  
Winter Soldier was faster. He drew his gun and leveled it at Natasha. "Drop it, Hawkeye," he said.  
Clint's gaze flicked from Natasha, to Winter Soldier and then to their surroundings. Seeing the gun pointed at Natasha now, after what they'd told each other. This was why relationships between partners weren't considered a good idea. "Widow..." he said. "Don't hold this against me." He drew the gun he was reaching for out of its holster and tossed it a couple of metres away.  
Clint knew that the gun was only a short dive and roll away if he needed it. Winter Soldier was already too on edge for his liking, and he didn't want to be the one to blame if the brainwashed Barnes got trigger happy. They'd find a way to break him out, but it seemed that he had been conditioned against their previous attempts. They needed time alone with him, without having to worry about other events - and, it seemed, a way to disable whatever his handlers were using to control his behavior. 

Eight people between her and Clint was child's play. The biggest obstacle would be Winter Soldier and his cybernetic arm in such close quarters. It made her wish for her Widow's Bites to take him down effectively and deal with him later. Clint threw the gun away, unwilling to risk her life. It touched her and infuriated her, but she knew that if their positions were reversed, she would've done the same. She stared at the gun that was leveled at her. Quietly, she studied it before looking back at Clint almost apologetically. After a beat, Natasha moved. She moved out of the gun's line of shot and grasped Winter Soldier's wrist, jerking it harshly in a way that made him drop the weapon. Fluidly, her body swung around his until she was on his back, arms wrapping around his neck in a chokehold to knock him out. She needed to neutralize him for now to deal with the rest of their problems.

Winter Soldier was surprised when he felt her attack, and she had him in a chokehold before he could react. Memories of sparring sessions with her, or was it another lithe redhead?, began to crowd his mind, and he knew what he had to do to dislodge her, but the memories were threatening to overwhelm him and his left arm had begun to tingle. He tried to throw her off before the shocks began, but it was too late. He yelled in pain, which was muffled by the chokehold and dropped to one knee. Natalia Romanova... Love... more than that... friend... "Nat... AHH!" The arm just kept causing pain, and he couldn't gather enough control to banish the thoughts that were causing it.

Clint saw Winter Soldier drop, and he rolled to pick up his gun, neatly taking out their other assailants before they even broke the cover of the trees.

He said her name. It had been a choked out strangle before he succumbed to the shocks, but it was enough for her. They dropped to the ground together, but she didn't release her hold. From her thighs, she pulled out her gun and began helping Clint take out the other targets. "Come on, James. Come back to me," she murmured in encouragement.

Clint heard her encouragement and felt a strange pang of jealousy, before remembering she had done the same thing for him when she pulled him out of Loki's employ.  
"I don't know if he can come back to you if you strangle him out," he said.  
Barnes could slowly feel his consciousness start to ebb as she held the chokehold. Well, if he was going to be strangled, at least it was by her. Putting the pain from his arm to one side of his mind, he lifted his right hand and feebly tried to tap out against her leg, as if he was in a sparring match. 

Natasha released at the tap, trusting that he was getting back to normal. She dropped down onto her feet nimbly with her gun still drawn. She kept a wary eye on Winter Soldier and called back over to Clint. "Status report?" she said, wanting to make sure their other threats were neutralized.

"All targets accounted for," Clint said. "At least all the ones I heard. How's Barnes?" Clint didn't turn around to look, he kept an eye on the tree line, not trusting that there wouldn't be others lying in wait. Whoever it was knew the pair of them quite well, and would have known that eight opponents would be a, well, walk in the park. He walked over to the closest body. 

Barnes drew in a few gasping breaths as the chokehold was released. He was still twitching a little from the pain, but the shocks had lessened to the tingling threat level. "Natalia?" he asked. "What are you doing here?" There was a sharp, but short shock, but nowhere near as intense as before, as if almost losing consciousness had helped break through the conditioning. 

Natasha stood between Clint and Winter Soldier, carefully assessing the situation. The threat of other combatants were taken care of, and she knew Clint would neutralize any other ones that popped up. She turned to Barnes, expression softening somewhat. "You've been compromised," she told him softly, reaching to lay a hand on his arm. "We had to break your conditioning."

"How did you find me?" he asked. 

"Blame your employers," Clint offered. "Your actions were ... let's just say 'noisy'. And they basically led us to you when we got here." He nudged the bodies with his foot, checking that they had been neutralized.  
Barnes put his right hand to his head. "Who are you working for now, Natalia?" he asked. "I... I can't remember anything since they told me you'd been killed."

It was a lot for him to take in, and it didn't help that she nearly choked him out. There was no doubt in her mind that his arm was still testing him. Satisfied that he was back on her side, she helped Clint check the bodies. "I'm an agent of SHIELD now," she answered, sharing a look with her partner. She left the Avengers part unspoken.

"SHIELD?" Barnes looked confused. "You switched sides? They took you in?"  
Clint nodded, agreeing to keep the Avengers a secret. If Barnes' memories were cloudy at best, they didn't need to spend the evening explaining everything that had happened. At least not in the field. That could wait until they got back to the safehouse.  
Clint knelt down to check a body. The uniform on this one was slightly different, and a hand was covering up a dark red symbol embroidered into a patch on his shoulder. Clint moved the hand and swore. "Motherfucking HYDRA," he said. He was instantly on guard. HYDRA would never send just eight people out against them. There had to be more.

"They wanted to kill me, but I was fortunate when someone saw more than the Black Widow in me," she murmured, a slight smile twitching at her lips. She refrained from looking at Clint again, but her message was loud and clear. She was grateful to him, glad that he made a different call. They needed to return to their safe house and fast. When Clint announced that it was HYDRA's doing, she tried not to groan. There would be more than eight agents after them. They were like a plague. "We better get ready. We're going to have to fight our way out," she said decisively. Looking at Barnes, she added, "Are you good to go?"

"Yeah... Yes, I think so. Just don't mention any of the things that broke the conditioning. It seems to be held at bay for the moment."  
Clint heard Natasha's gratefulness without needing to look at her. "You and Barnes take point," he said. "I'll keep an eye out to the rear."

Natasha looked at Clint and nodded, making her way forward to assess the situation. She was comforted having him at her back, and she kept an eye on Winter Soldier.

Clint followed along at the rear. He didn't like being out here without his bow. Any shot fired from a gun gave away his position in a flash. He was on edge, though a part of him was suggesting that it felt a little Bond-esque, being out here, being hunted while in black-tie.  
Barnes limped along as best he could, carefully trying to not think about anything other than one foot after the other. If he let his thoughts stray, the tingling intensified. "There should be a car left in the woods about half a mile away," he said. 

"Your car?" Clint asked. 

"It was, yes," he replied.  
"Probably not the best idea..." Clint said. "They'll know we're headed there." His eyes darted along the tree line. He could swear he saw movement, but it was just too dark. 

Natasha listened closely to everything around her. She nodded when Barnes informed her about his car, and she coaxed them to speed up their pace. She wanted to get out of the woods without any more incidents, but she knew that was highly unlikely. She gripped her gun tight, ready for any attack on them. "We have a safe house. If we can get there, we can regroup."

Clint picked up his pace to keep up with Natasha, but he made sure to keep Barnes between them, and to keep an eye out on their surroundings. Over the sound of their running feet, he could just make out the sounds of movement.  
As they approached the clearing in which Barnes had left his car, he heard a strange humming sound, like the noise of something charging up. He slowed down to a walk to listen more closely and scanned the trees for any signs. There was a slight blue tinge at the tree tops at about two o'clock. The glow intensified as he looked at it, outlining the shape of a spotlight. "Tash, two o'clock... Spotlight. Close your ..." As he spoke, the blue tinge flared into full brilliance and he closed his eyes a second too late. The sudden brightness after spending so much time in the dark hurt. He tried to open his eyes, so he could at least see what was coming at him, but he was blindsided by its brilliance. He didn't even know whether Tash and Barnes had made it outside the beam or not. He couldn't fire blindly at their attackers without fear of hitting his friends. 

The car was within reach, and she let herself foolishly think they could get away so easily. She heard Clint's warning a beat too late, and the bright radiance of the spotlight blinded her. Her arms threw up to cover her face from it, and she could faintly hear the pounding of footsteps looming closer. Swiftly, she moved and rolled herself out of the spotlight. It took several moments for her eyesight to adjust, and she looked around wildly for Clint and Barnes.


	11. Chapter 11

Clint heard the footsteps approach and he got the distinct feeling of being surrounded. The sound of several energy-powered weapons charging up reached him next. He tried to open his eyes again, and managed a squint in the bright light, looking around. A dozen or so HYDRA goons were standing in a circle around him, weapons trained on him. He saw no sign of Natasha or Barnes and allowed himself a sigh of relief.  
"-Lower your weapon, Hawkeye-," one of them announced in German.   
Barnes didn't bother to cover his eyes. He just tucked and rolled out of the spotlight and knelt, waiting for his eyesight to adjust. He heard Natalia roll with him and looked around to confirm she was safe. When he heard the voice speak in German, he felt his stomach drop. Hawkeye hadn't been fast enough. 

The German words were heard lough enough for Natasha to hear although she couldn't pinpoint the direction. Her body grew tense. She opened her eyes, trying to force her body to hurry up and adjust. She needed to go to him, save him. Natasha had her gun wildly pointing in the general direction. She didn't care how many there were. There was no way she was going to let them take him. The intent was clear in her body language. Her body was coiled and ready to pounce.

Barnes reached out and put a restraining hand on her arm. "We'll find him. You cant take them all out."

Natasha twitched at the restraint, blindly trying to find Clint. "They're taking him from me," she bit out, her voice a growl. It was a quiet testament to how she felt about him.

Barnes' eyes were adjusting faster than he was expecting. He could see the circle around the spotlight now, and Hawkeye squinting, but trying to glare at his captors at the same time, and he could hear the footfalls of other HYDRA goons looking for their other two marks. "We have to get out of here," he said, as calmly as he could muster. This was too much like when he and Natalia had been separated... "Regroup, and we'll find him. If we're all caught, it's over."

"Go fuck yourselves," Clint swore, but the sensible part of his mind knew it was a bad idea.   
One of the goons fired his gun, aiming at Clint's foot, and he yelled in pain as the bolt of energy hit him. It burned. He looked down to check that his foot was still intact, and saw no sign of an injury. It just felt like his nerve endings were fried.   
"-The next one is aimed at your head. Put the weapon down.-"  
Clint obeyed. Sort of. He released the weapon, but not to the ground. He threw it in the direction of the voice, hearing a satisfying thud and yell of pain as the improvised projectile found its mark.  
* * *  
It brought up terrible memories, seeing Clint captured. During Loki's invasion with the Chitarui, she hadn't been privy to his compromise. She'd been able to focus on retrieving him with a single minded determination. Every fiber of her being warred against her common sense. She could hear him, and her insides twisted at his shout of pain. Had it not been for Barnes' firm grip on her, she would've said fuck it and gone in. Instead, she breathed heavily and remained where she was with him. "We bring him back at all costs," she said flatly, hating that she had to let Clint be captured.

Barnes nodded. He'd only met the guy briefly, but Natalia he knew, and it hurt him to see her hurting like this. He wondered for a brief moment if this was how she had reacted to his capture, but there was no time to ask that now. He knew what she needed to hear. "At all costs," he echoed.

It was enough. For now. She relaxed in his hold. Her eyes had adjusted and she could see them taking Clint away. There was a forlorn expression on her face before it shuttered away into something harder and colder. She managed to retrieve Winter Soldier, but at the cost of Hawkeye. Now she needed to find a way to bring them both home.

Barnes watched with her as the HYDRA goons restrained Hawkeye and led him away. He found it odd that they seemed to be satisfied with capturing only one of them. As she relaxed, he let go of her arm and took her hand. "We need to get to the car."

Silently, she nodded and followed his lead. Natasha was trying to compartmentalize all her emotions. Clint needed her at her best, and she couldn't do that if she let her emotions rule her.

Barnes led her to the car and, after completing a quick lap around the vehicle, pulled a set of keys out of the rear wheel well and handed them to her. "You should drive. I don't know if the pain will get any worse," he said.

Taking the keys, she slid into the driver's seat. She waited for Barnes to get settled before starting the car. The drive back to the safe house felt long and tiring, and she was already working her mind on ways to retrieve Clint. "How are you holding up?" she said finally.

"It hurts," he said. "Its strange. Its as though I'm allowed to think about my past now. I... I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked, looking over at him for the first time since she started driving.

"For losing you. For being the reason we have to track your partner down. What happened between you?" he asked. 

It was a lot of things to be sorry for plus a loaded question. She decided it was easier to focus on his apologies first. "It's not your fault. Circumstances were just the way they were," she said simply.

He was quiet for the rest of the trip. They arrived back at SHIELD's safe house without incident, left the car three blocks away and walked back to the house. When they were inside, and the door was closed, Barnes wrapped an arm around Natasha and hugged her. "I have missed you," James said. "When they told me you had... you had been killed..."

There were so many conflicting emotions in her, and she felt like she was being tugged in two different directions, Natasha and Natalia. She felt his arms, warm and familiar, wrap around her, and she gently returned his embrace. "I know," she said softly, understanding where he was coming from. "I've missed you too."

James smiled, and then winced, as his arm delivered a shock, but he tried to brush it off. Puzzlingly, they weren't as intense as they had been. Had the conditioning been broken so easily? "I didn't hurt you, did I? Before, when I was..."

"No, I'm fine," she assured him. Natasha found warm comfort in his arms, and she wondered if she put him through the wringer when she broke through his conditioning. "You should get some rest."

"No, I'm fine," she assured him. Natasha found warm comfort in his arms, and she wondered if she put him through the wringer when she broke through his conditioning. "You should get some rest."

James shook his head. "Not until you do. You can't go running off after Hawkeye without thinking it through."

She gave him a protesting look. There was research that needed to be done, and she needed to check in with Coulson. He wasn't going to be happy with her at all. "I am thinking it through. I have plans to make."

"'Talia..." James swayed slightly with fatigue. Now that she mentioned it, he was tired, but he didn't know what sleep would do to him. He had no recent memories of sleep, only gaps of missing hours with vague memories of pain, confusion and delirium.

Natasha gently led him to one of the bedrooms. She pressed him down onto the mattress, refusing to take no for an answer. "Sleep now," she murmured to him.

Once she'd laid him down, he found it too difficult to refuse and closed his eyes.   
He woke several hours later with the dawn and sat up in a rush. He was sore, but he felt more like James Barnes, more like Bucky than he had in a very long time. He stretched and checked the operation of his arm by flexing his fingers. Everything seemed to be in working order. He looked around, remembering the events of the previous night. Where was Natalia?

Once she got Barnes settled in, Natasha returned to the table that still had all her work laid out. She made the difficult phone call of checking in with Coulson, explaining to him what happened. She'd recovered Winter Soldier, but at the cost of Hawkeye. Coulson was willing to send her reinforcements, but she assured him that all she needed was leads on HYDRA in the area. Everything she needed was in the safe house, she just needed something to go on. After the call, she scoured all of her sources to find a lead. She ended up falling asleep at the table, troubled.

Bucky wandered through the house, looking for Natalia. He found her sleeping on a pile of notes laid out on the kitchen table. She'd fallen asleep with her pen in her hand, and had a few lines of ink on her cheek where she'd brushed against it in her sleep. He snuck up on her and laid a hand on her shoulder to wake her up.

Although the hand was gentle on her shoulder, she reacted instinctively. She was on a hair trigger reaction. Swiftly, she grabbed his wrist and twisted her body so that she was facing him. Her fingers gripped him tight, and she stared at him with hollow eyes until conscious thought filtered back in. Relaxing, she released her hold apologetically. "Did you sleep well?" she asked her voice, a sleepy rasp.

He didn't fight the wrist lock, he just smiled. It had been a long time since he'd had a chance to wake her up. "Surprising, yes. And I feel more like myself than I can remember." he replied. "Thanks to you and Hawkeye." He pointed to his own cheek. "You've got ink on your cheek."

The smile he shot her was so painfully familiar that she couldn't help but smile in return. When he pointed out her cheek, she reached up to wipe it away. She fought down a yawn, trying to wake up and be more alert. She didn't intend to sleep for so long. "How's your arm?"

"No troubles at all, it seems," he replied. He stretched it, and wove a few punches 

into a combo, showing off. He sat down in the chair opposite her, and flicked through some of her research. "Natalia, I'm sorry they took Hawkeye," he said. "I didn't mean for this to happen... I... I'm still not quite sure how they found me. I've very few memories from the last time I saw you until a few days ago."

"It's not your fault. I've recovered you, and now we have to go get Agent Barton back," she replied calmly. The sleep and downtime helped put her head back on straight, and she was itching to dive into getting work. "We know HYDRA is behind all this, but the question is why. Why go to the trouble of reactivating you to take out old marks?"

"Barton? Is that his name?" Bucky asked. He felt that he had heard it before, but he wasn't certain. Clearer memories of the timing in between conditionings, especially from their first encounter two days ago, were beginning to form in his mind. His old handler, her old handler (now dead), the doctor who had been in charge of their conditioning, HYDRA... He examined one of the pages of notes on the table, detailing Barton's last mission. "The only thing that makes sense, is that they wanted to get your attention," he said, finally.

"Yeah, Agent Clint Barton," she nodded. Natasha reviewed over her notes. It was clear that they were trying to get attention, but she didn't understand why HYDRA would have a fascination with her, not when there was Iron Man or Captain America around. "They expected me to be on that mission with him," she said as she looked over Clint's last mission. "They're trying very hard for my attention."

Partial memories of something said while he wasn't fully under their control sprang into Bucky's mind. "They want you for something. They researched your leverage points..."

"They want me?" she said on edge. If they even knew just the slightest bit how she felt towards him, they knew she'd come after him regardless the risk towards herself. "They're smart then. They know I'll come for him."

"I don't know what for, but with the team they've rounded up from our past, I can't assume that it's anything good," he said.

"Think they want to reactivate me as well?" she mused warily. Having the Black Widow on HYDRA's side was dangerous, and it would put the Avengers against one of their own.

"I think so." Bucky stopped himself from adding 'They'll get Barton, too.' He didn't think it would be diplomatic.


	12. Interlude 4

Clint yelled in pain as one of the goons fired again, this time at his other foot. He dropped to his knees, both of his feet feeling like they had an extreme case of pins and needles. "Is that all you've got?" he said through gritted teeth. 

Two of the goons stepped forward and manhandled his arms behind his back. He fought back as best as he could, but it was futile. He'd almost wrestled one hand free, when the goon holding it stepped back and he saw a blue flash out of the corner of his eye and felt the energy bolt flash through his hand. He let out a grunt of pain as the goon took his arm again and fastened both wrists together with a pair of handcuffs. They hauled him to his feet and dragged him off into the night. 

He tried to not make it too easy for them. He dragged his feet - not that he could walk very well with his feet sending daggers of pain up his legs with every step. They threw him into the back of a van and he landed hard on the floor. Four of them climbed in after him and sat him against the rear divider of the van. They put a canvas bag over his head and he heard the door of the van slide shut. 

"Usually, people have to buy me a drink and dinner before tying me up," Clint quipped. 

"Halt deine Klappe," -Shut up- one of the goons said.   
Clint grinned underneath the hood. So they riled easily. This could be fun. "Though the last time..." 

One of the goons kicked his feet, and Clint couldn't stop himself from gasping in pain. "Bist du verrückt? (Are you insane?) Halt. Deine. Klappe." 

"Jury's out on that one," Clint replied. "So, where are you taking me?"   
One of the goons leaned forward and cuffed him around the ears. Clint didn't have a chance to see it coming, and his head snapped to the side as the blow landed. 

"Sie verstehen?" -Do you understand?-

Clint couldn't help himself. He responded in his worst German. "Ich weiss es nicht." -I don't know-. He growled in pain as one of the goons kicked his feet again. How long did the effects of their weapons last? "Are we there yet?" 

"You are walking a fine line, Hawkeye," one of the goons said in accented English. 

"I always do. You didn't read up on my file if you thought I'd just come quietly." 

The goons' response was to charge up one of their weapons. "That feeling you have in your hand and feet? How would you like to feel it in your stomach?" 

Clint tossed up the options. He really wanted to point out that if they shot him in the stomach with it, they'd likely have a mess to clean up off the floor of the van, because he'd throw up, but then he didn't know exactly how leak proof they bag they were using as a hood was. He didn't want to end up sitting in a pool of his own vomit. 

"That is what we thought." 

Clint lost track of how long it took them to get wherever it was they were taking him, but he was getting sick of sitting still. The tingling feeling in his hand and feet had diminished after a while and he was just left the feeling of discomfort that resulted from sitting in an awkward position for too long. When the van finally stopped, he was relieved for a short while, until they marched him into what he assumed was a building, and forced him to sit in a chair. His hands were uncuffed and clipped into restraints on the arms of the chair. He was left alone (or he assumed he was alone, since he couldn't hear anyone else), tied to the chair and blindfolded for some time. There were several points where he must have fallen asleep, only to be woken by a sharp shock delivered into his arms. So, sleep deprivation was part of the game, was it? He knew how to cope with it, but he didn't like the ideas that it conjured regarding their plans for him. Sleep deprivation was one way to go about preparing to program someone.

What felt like several hours later, someone came in and removed the hood. Clint blinked in surprise at the sudden bright light. As his eyes adjusted, he looked around the room. It appeared to be nothing special; a whitewashed room containing the chair he was strapped to, a hospital-style bed with similar restraints, and a large television screen mounted to the wall. The man who had removed the blindfold was dressed as a doctor or a medic and was now checking his vital signs. Clint tried to resist, but there wasn't much he could do. When a second medic entered the room, wheeling a trolley containing what appeared to be medical equipment (or torture devices, he couldn't really tell), Clint tried more desperately to pull his arms out of their restraints. For his efforts, the chair delivered another, stronger shock. 

"Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye. It is good to finally meet you," a voice said from near the doorway of the room. 

Clint looked up to see a weedy man wearing slacks, a red shirt and a lab coat, with small round, horn rimmed glasses perched on his nose. "I'd say nice to meet you, but under the circumstances, it really isn't," Clint replied. The second medic was placing another strap around his bicep to keep his forearm still before inserting an IV line. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" he asked, struggling uselessly against the restraints. 

"We are HYDRA, and we want your skill set," the man replied. 

The medic connected a drip bag to the IV line and as whatever drug it was entered his system, Clint felt his body relax, and he didn't care about much anymore. His mind tried to fight it, but it felt thick, like trying to swim through mud. 

The doctor crossed the room and checked Clint's vital signs. Everything appeared to be in order. "Keep him on that for the next twelve hours. Then we'll start the conditioning."  
The medic nodded and the doctor left the room. 

Clint was in a daze. Whatever drug they were plying him with kept him placid, and made thoughts difficult to hold on to. Every now and then e gave in and let the drug carry him where it willed. Strangely it dredged up memories of his early encounters with Natasha (well, she had been Natalia then). Memories of being handed the file for his mission, opening it and hating the woman from the moment he saw her picture. 

He shook his head feebly at that memory. That wasn't right. He'd been infatuated from the moment he saw that picture... He grunted in pain as the real memory crossed his mind and a shock was delivered to his system. The memory of hating her cropped up again, but this time he accepted it, and didn't get shocked. Visions of failing in his mission to assassinate the Black Widow crossed his mind, of being ostracized by SHIELD, of handing in his resignation to Fury, of living on the streets and on the run all across the globe until he had arrived in Moscow and HYDRA had found him and offered him work. The partially conscious part of his brain learnt that it didn't hurt when he accepted the implanted messages, but if he tried to resist it, the chair delivered a sharp shock to various parts of his body. 

He didn't know how long this lasted for, and the part of him that just wanted the shocks to end didn't care.

Some hours - or was it days? - later, the medics returned to the room and detached the IV line. They undid one of the wrist restraints and handed him a plastic glass of water. Hawkeye began to feel the drug clearing his system as he drank the liquid and was glad of it. He didn't like feeling fuzzy. It reminded him too much of Lo... He flinched and spilled the remaining liquid in his cup as he thought that name and the chair shocked him. The conditioned part of his mind pushed the memory aside. 

The doctor returned to the room once the medics were finished clearing away the drip.

"How do you feel, Hawkeye?" the doctor asked, as if it was any normal clinical evaluation.

"Woozy. Slightly nauseated."

"That will pass. She hit you quite hard in the head, you know."

Hawkeye nodded vacantly. He remembered something like that... Or did he? "Who did, sir?"

"Natasha Romanov. The traitor who brought down your career with SHIELD."

Hawkeye sat bolt upright, suddenly feeling angry. "She's here?"

The doctor nodded. "And you will have a chance for your revenge."

"When?"

"In time. The traitor has gone to ground at the moment, but we expect she will try and kill you again."

"Not if I get her first," Hawkeye muttered. There was a small part of his mind telling him that this was wrong, but it was pushed aside to prevent the pain of the shocks.

"We will give you the opportunity," the doctor said. He was convinced that, while it had been rushed, the conditioning was holding. He waved a hand to one of the medics, indicating him to unfasten the other restraints holding Hawkeye to the chair.

As the medic stepped back, Hawkeye stood and stretched. It was good to be on his own feet again. "How long was I out for?" he asked.

"Long enough," the doctor replied. "We are confident there is no lasting damage, though there may be some erroneous memories."

Hawkeye nodded. That would explain the confusion and his want to punch the doctor. The man gave a very slimy impression. "So when can I wipe out the Widow?" he asked.

"All in good time. We need to plan and make sure it doesn't fail this time." The doctor led Hawkeye out of the medical room and to a rather cell-like room. "These are your quarters. You should get some rest. I will fetch you when the time is right."

As the doctor mentioned rest, Hawkeye began to feel drowsy. He nodded and sat down on the bed (though calling it a bed was being generous; it was more like a padded bench with no pillow or blanket). He lay down with his arms under his head and promptly fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Natasha was tense. Every moment Clint was gone put her further on edge. She scoured over her notes in search of leads. "What are the chances they'll use that base beneath the Institute?" she asked Barnes.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he said. "I don't remember anything about where that base is, other than I'd estimate it was about an hours drive from my safehouse. Everything about it is rather fuzzy in my memory."

"Do you remember where your safe house is?" she asked hopefully. Perhaps they could find clues there.

"North side of the city, I think."

She nodded, grabbing her keys. She'd long since changed out if her evening gown. "Let's go."

Bucky looked down at his rumpled tux. "Would anything of Barton's fit me?" he asked. "And I don't have any of my kit..." He felt awkward and unprepared, seeing her in her professional kit again, but this time with SHIELD badges on her shoulders. "Should we take his bow?"

Natasha glanced at him as if seeing the tux for the first time. She wasn't sure if Clint's things would fit him, but it was worth trying. She gestured for him to follow her to his things. "We have weaponry here, so load up," she replied as her eyes lingered on Clint's bow.

Bucky got changed and setup with weapons. He used Clint's black fatigues, since he didn't feel right putting the 'suit' on. He got the feeling that was something very personal to Barton, given the speciality attachments for the archer's kit. He loaded up on weapons. He saw Natalia's gaze linger on the bow and quiver. "We should take it. For when we find him," he said, trying to sound reassuring. 

She nodded and grabbed the set. Bucky was trying to be reassuring, but they both knew that HYDRA's possession of Clint was dangerous especially with what they were capable of. She double checked to make sure all of her weaponry was in order, and she felt the comfortable wait of her Widow's Bites at her wrists. Grabbing the keys, she glanced to see if he was ready. "You good?"

Bucky nodded. "Let's go get your partner back."   
He followed her out to the car and got into the passenger seat. Flashes of memory from the brainwashing took him through the city and to his own safe house, albeit with a few last minute turns. When they got there, he was surprised to see it had apparently been converted overnight to a happy house for a family, complete with child and dog playing in the street infront of the house. "I don't understand," he said. "I'm sure this is the place."

They parked a little bit down from the safe house to keep from drawing attention to themselves. Natasha eyed the house dubiously. She trusted Bucky, but she also knew his memory was faulty due to his reconditioning. At the same time, HYDRA worked fast. "Even if it was, HYDRA surely scrubbed it all by now."

Bucky nodded. It made sense. HYDRA knew he was compromised, at least from their point of view. He was happy to be back being himself. 

"Okay. We need to think of other leads. We can go back to Dubna, but between the two of us, we're seriously outgunned and outmanned," she began to plan, hands gripping the steering wheel. "I can have SHIELD back up in three hours."

Bucky had to resist the urge to say something silly like 'We're Winter Soldier and Black Widow, how can we be outgunned by HYDRA?', but he didn't know how she would take it. She'd changed from his memories of her, she was more confident (if that was even possible), more sure of who she was in the world, and he suspected that Barton was the one to 'blame' for that. He could see the way she thought about him in her body language. Once upon a time she'd had that reaction to him. "If they've conditioned him, do you want SHIELD knowing?" he asked. "Do you trust anyone else to bring him out of this?"

He brought up a good point. Bringing in SHIELD meant inevitably bringing in the Council, and they already looked down on Clint's compromise the first time. Natasha knew that this needed to be handled delicately. It was up to her to bring her back, and she had Bucky next to her to help. There was a part of her that felt awful that she had to subject him to this especially when they had so many things unspoken between them. They never got their closure, but they didn't have the chance to even think about that with Clint being captured. "You're right," she said finally with a nod. "It's down to us then."

"Black Widow and Winter Soldier together again," he said. "What could go..." He trailed off. He wasn't superstitious, but asking what could go wrong, wasn't usually a good idea before a dangerous mission on which they'd already lost one agent to the other side. 

"Black Widow and Winter Soldier," she nodded, her lips tugging into a slight smile. It had been a long time since those two names had been linked together, and she felt a surge of nostalgia through her chest. Reaching out, she laid her hand over his. "I've missed you, you know."

"So have I. When they told me you'd been killed..." he said. He wrapped his own hand around hers. "They had to put me on stasis again until they could figure out how to control me."

"They told me the same. They continued to put me on wetwork, hardening me. I ended growing tired and weary of it all, and I almost let myself get assassinated," she explained softly. She'd been at her rope's end by the time Clint came for her, and she always thought that he saw the weariness in her eyes. Maybe he saw a little of himself in her, but regardless, he made a different call.

"By Barton?" he asked. So much had happened to her since they'd last seen each other, since they'd been torn apart by their handlers on their last mission together. 

"Yes. SHIELD sent him to kill me, but he didn't. He recruited me instead. Worked hard to break through all my conditioning. He was there every step of the way as I became my own person," she recounted to him. Natasha was staring blankly ahead of her. Her heart ached for her missing partner, and she dreaded what HYDRA was doing to him. She had no idea how hard it was going to be when they met again. Taking a deep breath, she drove back to the safe house. "We'll make a plan of attack and make a strike for the Institute."

Bucky nodded. It would be dangerous, but he knew that they needed to do it. It was a strange feeling to know Natalia had developed such an attachment to Barton, especially when he knew that it was once his position. Times change and people move on, even if he couldn't remember most of what had happened since he last saw her, and those ten years or so seemed like yesterday to him. "How's your physics knowledge?" he asked as they drove past an open day advertisement for the institute plastered on the side of a bus. 

Her nose wrinkled at the mention of physics. She didn't care for it. She was no Banner or Stark, but she guessed that if if was absolutely necessary, she could go along with it. Bucky and Natasha were in different spaces of time. For her, she'd been given ten years to mourn and move on, but for him, he still remembered the woman that had been so madly in love with him. It was difficult all around. "I can make do," she answered.

"That'd be a good way to get in," he said. " Escape from the tour group?"

"Are faces our recognizable," she pointed out, but it was a start. Natasha was warming to it. The plan just needed to be ironed out.

"Faces are disguiseable. I'd be more worried about my arm," Bucky said. 

"It can be easily hidden, and if you give me a chance to get in first, I can bypass their system to short circuit any metal detectors they might have," she said helpfully.

"Sounds like a plan forming," he said. He smiled. It was good to be out intgr field with her again. 

Natasha drove them back to the safe house, and they went in to begin laying out their plan more securely. She couldn't go in dressed in her uniform, and she needed to pick an outfit that would hide her weapons.

Bucky watched her plan, a little self conscious about offering opinions. If she had known he was still alive when they had been separated, would she have hunted him in such determination? He was a little jealous of Barton, to be honest, that the man had developed such a repore and relationship with the woman he had always considered to be 'his girl'. He wandered through the safe house, thinking. Barton had risked a lot to get Natalia close to him, to break the conditioning. Regardless of his jealousy, he owed the man to try and break him out of HYDRA's captivity.   
Barnes somehow found himself back in Barton's room of the safe house. He dug through the duffle bag awkwardly, looking for clothing that would fit in with attending an open day at the Institute. A faded pair of jeans and an old, daggy purple shirt were the only true civvies in there that would fit him.   
While he was digging, he found something surprising; a small box covered in black velvet hidden in a well disguised corner of the bag. He opened it and then closed it quickly when he saw what it was. Was Barton that much of a romantic? He smiled. The Natalia he knew would never had accepted a ring, but then she had obviously changed a lot since he knew her. Working for SHIELD had obviously changed her. He returned to her room and leaned against the door, watching her plan. 

Her mind was focused on planning out their strike on the Institute, and she knew that going in with a tour would be their best bet. She was glad that she already had the blueprints to the Institute with the vague idea of the base below. In order to access it, she needed to take an elevator down, an elevator that was in the back of the building. She needed to get in first to disable their security system to let Bucky in then she only had a limited amount of time before HYDRA caught on to them. When Bucky joined her, she was already dressed in civilian clothes of jeans and a tank top, a leather jacket shrugged on top of it. Since she couldn't bring guns in with her, she had to entrust him with a bag of her things for her to retrieve once they met up at a rendezvous point. The only thing she could risk taking was a knife in her boot.

"We'll go to the Institute. I'll take point to get us in. I'll attend with one of the tour groups before breaking off to hack their security systems to let you in. Bring my bag because I'll only be armed with a knife," she explained to him as she ironed out the details. "The elevator in this wing leads down to the base, but they'll already be expecting us. We need to get down there and get to the air ducts to keep stealth. We'll rendezvous at the elevator, so we can go down together."

Natasha continued to explain her plan, but broke off when she noted a strange expression on his face. He'd just discovered the black box in Clint's bag though she had no idea. "What's the matter?"

Bucky realised he must have had been wearing a strange expression from her comment. He forced a smile on his face. "Nothing." He didn't really know the guy, but he wasn't about to go telling Natalia about it. She was stressed enough as it was. "The plan sounds feasible," he said, changing the topic. 

Natasha stared at him for a moments before nodding. "I've already packed my bag of things. Whenever you're ready," she said assuredly.

Bucky nodded. "I've got nothing of my own to gather," he said. "Let's do this."

She nodded again, trying to keep the smile from crossing her features. There was a familiarity there between them as they readied for the mission. Natasha grabbed her bag and led the way back to the car. They had to make that drive back out to Dubna which gave them some time to mentally prepare.

Bucky closed the trunk after Natalia had put her bag in, and paused on seeing Barton's bow and quiver, still in there from earlier. He hoped that HYDRA hadn't done too much damage to the man. He shut the boot and got into the passenger seat. "When did you change your name, Nat?" he asked.

She settled into the driver's seat and started the car. Natasha glanced at him for a moment before adjusting her mirrors. "When I joined SHIELD, Barton helped me become my own person. I wasn't just a tool or weapon, not solely. I was a person," she explained, driving once they were both settled. "I wanted a new start, so I Anglicized my name. Natalia became Natasha."

"It suits you," he said absently. There'd been so many changes in her since he had last seen her, but he found himself unable to rationalise the time that had gone by. He stared out the window, watching the town, traffic and countryside flash by as they made their way north. He wasn't really sure what to say. The familiar companionship of the pair of them being in the field together was comforting, but he couldn't shake the feeling of jealousy that he had been replaced.

It hadn't been her intention to make him feel replaced. It had been ten years for her, and she'd grown quite a bit, much in part to Clint. It didn't help things that she was doggedly hunting him down without any secondary thought. There was still many loose ends between Bucky and her, but she couldn't entertain any of that while Clint was in danger. Softly, she told him, "I'm glad you're alive."

He couldn't help but grin as he replied, "You know what, so am I. And I'm glad you are, too."

It brought a smile to her face to see him grin. It was a reminder of the man she'd been so in love with. There was a moment of conflicting emotions as old feelings she thought she'd laid to rest welled up in her. Natasha turned her attention to the road and hoped that Clint was okay.

Bucky was quiet for most of the trip. He enjoyed the companionable silence, knowing that there would be time to talk and catch up with everything after all this was over. They pulled into a carpark on the edge of the Institute's grounds. The carpark was full of cars and visitors heading in for the open day, and they blended in better than he had expected with the other visitors.

Natasha had her bright red hair tied back. She knew that she had to ahead first in order to give them access. Taking a deep breath, she got herself into the zone and turned to him. "I'll gain you access in twenty minutes. Meet me at the rendezvous point," she told him confidently. There was a lot riding here. She hoped that Clint was being kept beneath the Institute, but there would be a chance that he wasn't. Either way, she was going to get something whether it was Clint or information. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Yes, ma'am," Bucky said. He wandered around the campus, looking at the gardens and information booths. It was all so, normal, and strange to think it was a front for AIM and HYDRA. As the twenty minutes approached, he made his way towards the rendezvous. He was a little surprised he'd not been challenged by anyone, but he didn't mind. A smooth operation was always preferable if they could manage it.

She blended easily with the groups. Natasha wondered if it was a little too easy. She feigned interest before breaking off at her first chance. Smoothly, she broke into their security office and discreetly took down the men inside. Once she was in, it took her a few minutes to get into their program and shut things down. Triumphantly, she even managed to set back the alarm that would alert everyone to the breach, buying them enough time to get downstairs. All was quiet when she exited, and she knew it was only a matter of time before the security was back online and chaos broke loose. Natasha made her way to the back wing to meet Bucky.

Bucky lurked in the corridor near the lift, looking at the posters on the wall, trying to make it look like he belonged. Most of the technical things on the posters went over his head, but it was something to do. He heard footfalls along the corridor and turned to see Natasha, to his relief. 

"Hawkeye, wake up," the doctor said. "The Black Widow is on the campus. Your chance for revenge has come." 

Hawkeye sat up. He didn't feel rested. His dreams had been plagued by memories conflicting every thing he thought he knew. He stood up and walked to the door. He hadn't noticed that he'd been locked into the room while he was asleep. Not that he would have cared. Part of the conditioning they had put him through told him that that was normal practice. 

"Where is she?" he asked. 

"Entering the base," the doctor replied. He held out a gun belt holding two pistols, extra ammunition and a taser. 

Hawkeye reached out and took the gun belt. He buckled it around his hips and stood at ease, ready for orders. He felt a little strange accepting the guns, as though he should be using a different weapon, but he couldn't remember what.  
***

Natasha had swiped a security access card from the office to activate the lift. The doors open a beat later, and she stepped in with Bucky. Gratefully, she took the bag from him and began gearing up. It looked odd to have her Widow's Bites and utility belt on such a civilian outfit, but she had to make do. Grabbing her Glocks, she made sure they both had magazines in them and stowed away extra ones in her belt. "Divide and conquer?" she asked him.

Bucky nodded. She looked strange in civvies and her field kit, but he knew better than to mention it. "Back to standard operating procedure already?" he asked, with a smile. "Wilco, cap'n." He took his two borrowed guns out of the bag and stowed them for easy access. When the doors of the lift slid open at the bottom level, they were both ready for action.

***  
Hawkeye stalked through the corridors towards the lift he'd been told Black Widow would arrive in. He felt anger and trepidation at the same time, though the trepidation was one of the feelings that made him hurt. He paused in the corridor around the corner from the lift, waiting to hear it arrive.


	14. Chapter 14

"Black Widow and the Winter Soldier," she repeated from earlier. She had her guns cocked and ready, anticipating for the doors to slide open. When they did, she was surprised that there weren't more agents on them. The lobby looked empty, and she tentatively looked around. Natasha glanced at Bucky, shooting him a look. Even after ten years apart, she picked up on their old rapport and silent language.

Bucky nodded. It was strange. He didn't like it at all. If this was HYDRA he expected many more goons. Did they really not know they were coming? He stepped out of the lift to have a better look around. His gaze flicked along the corridors to the left and right, and analyzed the lobby desk in front of the lift. He could hear something like mumbled conversations to the right. He passed the information on with their old hand signals. 

She watched him step forward. Each step was calm and measured. Bucky observed the area before relaying information to her. Natasha came out a few moments later, gun pointed at any potential threats. There was soft murmuring and movement that caught her attention.

Hawkeye stopped around the corner from the lift. He could hear the calm and measured footsteps as they exited the lift, and didn't need to look to know whose they were. He smiled. The conditioning said he needed to draw them further into the maze of the base. He stepped out from around the corner and fired two shots into the roof above their heads. 

She saw him before the shots registered. There was a hard look to his expression that disconcerted her. Natasha knew that look. She'd seen it in the mirror, and Bucky wore it most recently. Parts of the ceiling came down on them, and she rolled away. "Hawkeye's been compromised," she muttered to Bucky. His eyes weren't that otherworldly blue this time, and she wasn't sure if cognitive recalibration would work this time around.

Bucky felt a wave of guilt crash over him, as though he'd done this to her partner. He flattened himself against the wall as the shots rang out, but Barton obviously wasn't trying to shoot them, he was just trying to get their attention. 

Hawkeye tracked Black Widow as she rolled, and fired a third shot into the wall above her, before turning and running off down the corridor.

Bucky was an after thought to Clint. It was clear from the way that he tracked her, she was his intended target. Like her current partner, she knew that he was trying to lead them. Clint fired another shot above her before taking off. Even though she was playing into his hands, she darted after him.

"Widow!" Bucky hissed as she ran off. This smelled like a trap, and he didn't think it was a good idea to go walking (or running) into it. They wanted Natasha, he was sure of it now, but he didn't know why.

Hawkeye ducked into a fire hose alcove to hide, waiting for Black Widow to reach him.

Natasha knew Clint. She knew how he worked and operated. For him to attack her, she knew that they must have negated the memories of her. She activated her Bites and followed after him. She could Bucky's displeasure calling after her, but she paid no heed. As the corridor stretched on, she moved slower and more carefully. Clint liked distance and the element of surprise. "Clint," she called out. "Your name is Clinton Francis Barton, codename Hawkeye, agent of SHIELD. I teased you about your middle name until you tickled me silly."

Something sparked a memory or two to cross his mind, but he banished it before the remembered pain began. "I was an agent of SHIELD," he said. "Until I failed a mission. I was kicked out for not taking out the Black Widow." Talking gave his position away, he knew, but the anger he felt on seeing her made him reckless.

His voice carried, and she located his position to get right. Slowly, she moved closer. "No, in the end Fury and Coulson both gave you merits for converting me to SHIELD. You recovered a great asset for the organization," she explained, understanding now what the conditioning had done to him. "You and I? We're the best operatives SHIELD has."

"I was the best. Then I got kicked out. HYDRA found me. HYDRA saved me," he recited his conditioning, even though part of him knew it felt very wrong. He peered out from around the corner of his alcove to see where she was. 

The doctor watched and listened over the security feeds. Hawkeye did take to conditioning very well (the man hadn't built up the resistances Winter Soldier or Black Widow had over the years, he guessed), but he wasn't expecting it to hold for very long. They'd only had 12 hours to set the brainwashing, and doing it right took weeks. It didn't matter. Taking Hawkeye was just a way to make sure they drew the Black Widow in.

"That didn't happen. That never happened. You took me into SHIELD. We worked missions together. Prague, Bogota, Budapest. We joined the Avengers. You were compromise once and I brought you back. I'll do it again," she told him determinedly. Natasha stepped closer. She still had her gun in hand, but she would only shoot if necessary. She needed to engage him in hand to hand combat. "You want to kill me, hot shot? This is your chance."

Hawkeye found himself full of conflicting emotions, but as soon as she stepped into range, the conditioning won out. He launched himself at her, the brainwashing telling him that he wanted to strangle her, that a swift death by a bullet would be too good for what she had put him through.   
The other part of him remembered all those things she was saying, and seeing her again brought Barton closer to the surface. Barton knew that it was a stupid idea to engage her in hand to hand combat, even if the Hawkeye-of-the-moment didn't. 

Bucky followed Natasha around the corner, keeping an eye out for other HYDRA operatives. It was strange that none of the plague of goons were present, and if this was actually an AIM base, it was doubly strange that none of their scientists were around.

Just as she followed him into his trap, he followed her into hers. He leapt towards her, and she nimbly twisted his momentum against him. Natasha threw him to the ground before she was on him again a moment later. Her Bites hummed with activity. If they conditioned him, they had to have done it quickly. She hoped she could break the walls in his head.

He felt and heard the Bites begin humming and grabbed her forearms, knowing he needed to deflect them almost at all costs. He fought to try and get her off him. Memories of early fights and sparring sessions crossed his mind and he shook his head, trying to sort out what he should be thinking. Having her this close brought his memories as Clint very close to the surface.

"You never could best me at hand to hand," she teased lightly. His hands gripped her arms tightly, making her tussle hard with him. All she needed to do was make contact just once to send a shock to his system. Natasha headbutted him to stun him for a moment. "Cognitive recalibration."

She was far too casual about this. He decided, but before he could try and flip her to pin her under him, she headbutted him. Hawkeye's vision reeled, and memories of her breaking Loki's hold on him flashed across his mind. "Master assassin resorting to a Glasgow kiss?" Barton muttered, teasing her back. 

"You know I'm willing to use everything at my disposal. I bit you last time," she reminded, loving their banter in a twisted sort of way. It was a reminder that her Clint was still in there somewhere. She jerked her waist against him to bring her bite down against him. "Then again, you did pull my hair."

Memories of tricks he'd tried and failed with during spareing sessions flashed through his head. His biggest advantage was the weight and strength difference between them. He drew his knees up, planted his feet firmly on the ground under them, and pushed his hips up, aiming to throw her forwards over his head. 

Clint drew his knees up and pushed her forward, tossing her over his head. Natasha was already preparing for it, having gotten used to that move before. As she sprang through the air, she effortlessly did a flip and landed in a crouch. She twisted to look at him and gave him a smirk. "That all you got, baby?" she purred daringly. She lunged forward at him again for another go.

Hawkeye rolled over and was halfway to his feet when she knocked him down again, this time, knocking the wind out of him, and hitting the back of his head on the floor of the corridor. 

Natasha took advantage of his weakened state to bring her bite against his skin. She glanced up for a moment to make sure Bucky was still with her before giving Clint her full attention.

Hawkeye let out a yell of pain as her bite made contact with his skin. Clint remembered that pain all too well. 

Bucky watched the tussle as well as the corridor. They were obviously very familiar with the other's fighting style, and Natasha had become even more deadly and graceful in the last ten years. He heard running footfalls coming from behind them - from the direction of the lift. He swore. If these were HYRDA goons, they'd now have to fight their way out. 

She pulled her wrist away once she doled out a sufficient amount to him. She hoped that it was enough to knock things loose in his head and begin the process of breaking the brainwashing. Natasha kept a firm grip on him as she pulled her gun again to ready herself for the HYDRA agents coming for them. "We need to make our way back to the lift," she called to Bucky.

"That's where they're coming from," Bucky replied. "Is Barton still conscious? Or do we need to carry him out?"

Clint groaned. He had a headache, and he felt woozy. He squinted up to see Tash straddling his chest, gun in hand and her Bites charged and ready. "I... I thought you'd promised not to use those on me again," he said, his voice slurring slightly. 

"We need an alternative route," she called back to him. They were flying blind. Natasha glanced down at Clint who seemed to be coming back to himself. She wasn't sure if he'd completely broke the conditioning, but at least he was semi-conscious. Carefully, she tugged him to his feet and supported his weight. "I got you," she told him reassuringly.

"You're the one who's seen the blueprints," Bucky called out. 

"Tash... Best if Barnes helps me," Clint muttered. "In case..." he put one hand to his head. "In case the conditioning is retriggered." He looked at her, a concerned and apologetic expression on his face. "They convinced me to kill you."

"Their base underneath wasn't outlined," she ground out unhappily. "I only got as far as the lift."

Natasha glanced over at Clint when he spoke, and there was a look of relief on her face that he was back to himself. She laughed, a sound of relief and happiness. "You made a different call," she told him gently before passing him off to Bucky who had more strength than she did

"I'll always make a different call for you, Tash," he said, surprising himself at how sincere he felt about his words.   
Bucky took Clint's weight and looked along the corridors. The running footsteps had stopped, so he assumed they were guarding the lift. "We can fight our way out back to the lift," he said, "Or go further in and hope to find another way."

 

"Stay here. I'm going to sight them and get a count. If it's a blood bath, we go further in," she said firmly as she swiftly moved back down the corridor near the lift. Natasha stayed around the corner, gun at the ready. She took a deep breath and looked around the corner quickly. Several shots were let off as she ducked back with her cover. At least fifteen. She could do fifteen. It would've been difficult by herself, but she had Winter Soldier and a semi-conscious Hawkeye. She returned to them and relayed her findings. 

"It's worth a shot," Bucky agreed. ""And let's just hope they won't trap us in the lift."  
Clint nodded his assent, though he was unsure how helpful he would be. "Just in case I don't get a chance to say it later, Thanks for coming to save me, guys," he said. He pushed away from Bucky. If they were going into a firefight, he needed to be standing under his own steam. He was a little wobbly, but it was manageable. 

"Soldier, you take point. Hawkeye, stay between us. I'll pull up the rear," Natasha ordered decisively. She let Bucky lead the way, and she kept an eye behind them just in case HYDRA decided to send more of their goons after them.

Bucky paused at the corner of the corridors and peered around. Three ranks of five goons guarded the lift. As he peered around the corner, several shots let fly and embedded themselves in the wall at the end of the corridor.   
"Don't suppose you packed my bow," Clint asked, unholstering one of the guns HYDRA had given him. 

"In the bag on the lift," she told him lightly. Natasha had the foresight to slip into her bag before going into the Institute with the hopes that she could use it to bring Clint back. Shots were let off, cracking through the air. "Let's see you earn it, Hawk," she teased.

"Shoot with an unfamiliar gun to earn my baby back? That's a bit unfair," Clint replied, but he was smiling, and genuinely starting to feel better.   
Bucky stuck his hand around the corner and fired several shots blindly down the corridor. The goons were tightly packed in the confined space that the odds were with them. Clint knelt down and leant around the corner, picking off four of the goons before having to pull back as their gunfire was returned. Not his best shooting, but it could have been worse. 

Natasha felt edgy having the rest of the corridor at their back. She kept expecting HYDRA to surprise them with something. This felt too simple and standard. She pressed herself against the opposite wall from the corner, getting a decent line of view. It was a risky spot, but she managed to take down three of the men on the front lines.

With two thirds of their number down, an order was barked in german and the goons approached them down the corridor. That was a mistake. Between Bucky an Clint, they took the last few goons out.   
"Is getting into a metal box with limited exits a good idea?" Clint asked as they approached the lift. They had no way of knowing what was waiting for them at the top of the lift shaft. He pulled the quiver and bow from the duffle bag and put it on, feeling more himself as he did so.   
Bucky agreed, but they knew of no other way out of the base. 

"We have to go with what we know. We can't risk going deeper into their base without them one up on us," she answered as she joined them in the lift. Natasha stood between them, wondering what to expect once they reached the ground floor. She was itching with adrenaline and anticipation.

Part of Clint was hoping that they could just walk out of there, regroup with SHIELD backup and return to take the base out, but he'd learned over the years to not be quite so optimistic. He nocked an arrow to his string and prepared himself for when the doors opened.   
Surprisingly enough, though, the corridor was empty. Clint frowned and looked from Bucky to Natasha. "I don't like this. What're they playing at?"

It was empty again, and like before, Natasha didn't like it. She shared a look with Bucky, following the same protocol they did earlier. "Guess we're about to find out."

"You go in front, Tash," Clint said. "I'm best at long range." 

She was hesitant to let him stay behind. The last time she'd done that, he'd gotten captured. Natasha shook her head. "Go ahead first, I'll join you in a second."

The doctor smiled as he watched the security footage. He could tell all three were on edge, wondering when they were going to be attacked. It was almost as much fun to watch them squirm as it was to order the attack. He pressed a button on his desk, triggering an alarm to ring through the building and summoning the AIM and HYDRA goons working on the floor to the corridor near the lift. 

The alarm set off, and Natasha knew that the party was coming to them. She gave a look to Clint as walked off the elevator. Her guns were cocked and ready, and she was glad for the extra clips at her belt. She was going to need them.

Clint tried to smile reassuringly, but as the alarm set off, he felt a stab of fear and was confused. He was never usually afraid before an assault. A splitting pain ran through his head and he lifted a hand to his temple. "Something's not right, Nat," he said. "Something to do with the..."   
Bucky looked over his shoulder at Barton. "The conditioning?" he offered to finish the sentence.  
Clint nodded. He could hear a crowd of people running towards them. Of all the times for this to happen, couldn't it have waited until they got to the open?

Her priorities were mixed. They had a wave coming after them, and Clint's mind was beginning to give. Natasha moved to stay close to him. "We'll get through this," she told him, taking her turn to be the one reassuring him. "Just stay with me."

"I'm trying," Clint replied. He didn't know what it was, he could only assume that something to do with the alarm had set it off. Something was telling him to pin the Black Widow to the ground until help arrived, and it physically hurt to resist it. 

She looked at him, wondering how strong his resolve was. Natasha could see the pain and conflict on his expression. It would help to have an extra person to help them, but his safety and security came first. Without hesitating, she reached out and gave him another shocking bite. She hoped that it was enough to slow him down and give him a chance to gather his thoughts while she and Bucky took down the HYDRA lackeys. 

He flinched and grunted in pain as the Bites shocked him. "We're going to have to have a talk about those when we get our of this," Clint muttered through clenched teeth, but the shock did seem to help. Not enough for him to be able to stand and help, but enough for him to keep control on his mind. 

"I'll be waiting," she replied easily. Natasha was ready to supply him with another in the even that he needed it, but she turned her attention to the arrival of the HYDRA goons. She looked to Bucky to make sure he was okay. "Ready?"

Bucky looked with concern at Barton, but he couldn't spend too long worrying. "As I'll ever be, Widow," he said.

The first wave of HYDRA agents came after them, and it was easy to pick them off. Natasha cleanly took them down with Bucky's assistance. Every now and again, she glanced over her shoulder to check on Clint.

Clint heard the sounds of the firefight. He kept his eyes closed, worried that if he saw Natasha or Barnes, the conditioning would kick in. The implanted memories and commands were telling him that Barnes and Natasha were trying to capture him and take him back to SHIELD as a captive. This was going to be harder to break through than Loki's magical mind control.   
"Barton! Watch out!" Barnes yelled.   
Hawkeye opened his eyes just in time to see Barnes shooting in his general direction at two hydra goons who wee sneaking up behind him. The vision of seeing Winter Soldier shooting past him was enough to tip his control over the edge, and the conditioning took over. The pain dissipated, and he stood up and tackled Winter Soldier to the floor, managing to knock him into Black Widow in the process. 

Natasha was busy taking down goons left and right. She was in the middle of changing out the clips in her gun when Bucky knocked into her. She had one gun refreshed while the other was useless now that the magazine had been knocked away. She looked up to see what happened, and she saw the vacant, hardened look to Clint's face again. Biting out a curse, she scrambled to her feet.

Hawkeye had an arrow nocked and aimed at her as she scrambled to her feet. The HYDRA goons must have been instructed to stop shooting if it looked like he had changed sides, because the exchange of fire had stopped, and they were simply standing, weapons ready and waiting to see what would happen next.   
"Stay back or I'll shoot her, Barnes," Hawkeye growled.   
Barnes sat on the ground looking between Hawkeye, Black Widow and the HYDRA goons surrounding them. He looked past the goons at their rear to see a familiar, annoying face.   
The doctor walked forward, clapping his hands slowly and grinning far too broadly. "All three of you together. How convenient," he said. "If you want any chance to save your partner, Black Widow, you'll drop that gun right now."

Her hand gripped the gun tight, and she saw the arrow pointed out at her. It reminded of their first meeting all those years ago, but this time, it wasn't her Clint looking back at her. She couldn't get close enough to retrieve him, and she felt a sinking feeling her chest when she realized he wouldn't be making a different call. Her eyes cut to the doctor, and Natasha glared darkly. Slowly, she dropped her gun. There was a scowl playing on her lips.

"No need to shoot her, Hawkeye. Drop your weapon," the doctor said. As soon as the bow and arrow had hit the floor, the doctor mumbled some unintelligible word and Clint's expression softened.   
"Tash?" he asked, confused as to why she was disarmed and glaring daggers at someone behind him. He turned slowly to see they were surrounded by HYDRA goons and the man who had conditioned him. He felt a sinking feeling that he was responsible for their capture.

"Why?" Natasha bit out irately. She had an eye on where her gun landed, and she was formulating possible plans as she spoke. She shot Clint a look to let him know it was fine. They'd figure a way out. They always did. She checked on Bucky to make sure he was alright as well. "Why go to all this trouble? What do you want?"

"The answer to all your questions is 'you', my dear Black Widow. Bring them all," the doctor said to the goons. 

It made her stiffen, knowing that she was the cause of all this. They'd gone through great lengths to get to her, and two important people in her life had gotten caught in the cross-fire. Natasha refused to go down without a fight. The moment HYDRA goons came after her, she went to work on disabling them and made good use of her Bites.

The doctor simply watched her attack. She'd built her skills even further since the last time he'd seen her, and as always it was beautiful to see her in motion. He muttered another word, just loud enough for Clint to hear, and the archer felt a scorching pain behind his eyes.   
"You'll behave, Black Widow, or we'll hurt your -friends-," the doctor threatened after he'd had enough of watching her fight. 

Seeing Clint in pain was enough to make her stop. She didn't want to hurt him or Bucky. Resigned, she allowed them to take her without much more fuss, but the looks she shot the doctor was lethal.


	15. Chapter 15

They were taken back down into the depths of the sub-lacustrine base. Clint and Bucky were locked into the same room Clint had been imprisoned in earlier, while Natasha had been escorted elsewhere. 

Clint slumped onto the bench and put his head in his hands. Their capture was all his fault and he hated it. If he hadn't been caught... If he hadn't been brainwashed... If he could have managed to throw the conditioning properly... It unnerved him that the conditioning could be switched off and on like some cheap hypnosis trick. How would he even know if it was truly gone?

After trying and failing to open the door to the cell, even with the added strength of his cybernetic arm, he punched the door and sat next to Clint. "Don't beat yourself up about it," Bucky said. "Happens to the best of us."

"What?"

"Getting caught, used as leverage against your partner..."

"More often than it should. I wasn't ready to come out on this. I should have taken the rest days," Clint muttered. "Then Tash wouldn't be in trouble, and we'd be back at the Tower, getting ready..."

"The Tower?" Bucky was confused. 

Clint nodded. "The Avengers' Tower... She didn't tell you?" That got a half-hearted laugh and smile out of Clint.

"Tell me what?"

"Have any of your "briefings" mentioned the Avengers?"

Bucky could vaguely recall something about New York being mostly destroyed, but also saved by a group of superheroes. 

"She's not just 'the Black Widow, spy extrordinaire', anymore. She's 'the Black Widow, superheroine' just as often," Clint said. 

"And you?" 

"I'm just the chump that got her thrown into the limelight," Clint replied. "And got her captured."

"And saved her life, from what she told me about you," Bucky said. " You've got it bad, Barton," he added after a pause.

 

"Got what?" Clint frowned slightly. 

"Love."

"I..." He stopped himself before he denied it. He had, after all, admitted it to himself, and to her only... God, was that only days ago? "Is it that obvious?"

"In both directions. I... I had that with her, once," he mused. "But it was a long time ago for her. And we were torn apart, and shown exactly how painful love can be."  
Clint thought for a moment. "I don't know if I can love her anymore," he said. "I do... I always have, but if this bloody brainwashing can't be kicked... How can I be near her if I can't know if my brain's suddenly going to tell me to kill her? Or if word of this gets out, and every villain and his dog suddenly tries to leverage us off one another?"

"They'll always do that. You're partners."

"But..."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Bucky snapped. -You've won her heart, what more could you want?- he thought. "You're acting like you're a little kid."

"I am, compared to you," Clint muttered. "Old man."

Bucky was torn between pretending offence, and being amused and relieved that Barton was being more himself. "Its hard, I know," he said. "Throwing the conditioning. The trick Natasha and I learned is to have something to focus on. Something that you know is you or yours alone. We were each others. Until our handlers found out." Bucky reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I'd say this is yours for now." 

Clint looked at the box and frowned. "Are you proposing to me?" he joked. "You went through my stuff?" 

"Looking for clothes. I found that by accident." 

Clint stared at the box. He'd been carrying it for so long, but he hadn't taken it out of his bag in about two years. It had been a silly idea when he'd had it made, and he'd meant to give it to her for her birthday the following year, but he'd reconsidered when they'd had an involved discussion regarding jewellery gifts and their meanings. After that, he'd felt that giving her a ring of any description would be taken the wrong way. 

He opened the box and stared at the ring. He'd found a gem dealer on some downtime in Istanbul and been inspired by a pair of matching fancy cut rubies. The dealer had suggested having them made into earrings, but the reason he'd liked them so much was that they reminded him of her belt buckle when they were sitting point-to-point. He created the rest of the buckle with a few small black spinels and white diamonds. He liked it, but he'd never found the courage to ask her if she liked it. The ring was definitely something that would remind him of himself. 

"Thanks," Clint said. He was feeling a little more comfortable in himself now. They needed to figure out how to get out and rescue Natasha before anything happened to her, too.

***  
The doctor led the way to the conditioning room, indicating the goons should bring the Black Widow. 

They separated Bucky and Clint from her, and she knew with a sense of dread and resignation what they had planned for her. This had been their end game all along. They'd already done it to the other two, and now it was her turn. They led her to the conditioning room, forcing her down into the chair. Old memories stirred up, reminding her of all the times she'd been unmade. They strapped her down, forced her to settle. She took several deep breaths, her expression stony. Natasha fell back on the old technique she and Bucky used. She thought of Clint, how much she loved him. She didn't realize just how much until now, and she knew now how far her love went, how far she would go for him. She took that love and buried it away to spot in her that only she could see. She wouldn't allow them to touch it. Never.

"It has been a very long time, hasn't it, Natalia?" the doctor said. "Almost too long. It will be interesting to see how much of your old resolve you are still carrying." He pottered around the front of the room near the door, preparing various items he would require for her conditioning. "I believe your conditioning will need to be much stronger than that of either of your companions. More permanent. Which means we can't use any of the drug that made them so pliable and dulled the pain."

It would be a lie if she said she wasn't afraid. This was her worst nightmare, and she'd always dread coming back here. Natasha sat silently, eyeing with a dark look. He was going to try and take her away, but she wouldn't let him take it all. She had faith in Clint. He had Bucky to guide him through this. "Did my sisters not live up to my legacy?" she asked calmly, remembering all the other girls in the program with her. They wanted competition among them to nurture the best. "Is that why you put on this elaborate scheme to lure me back in?"

"Some did. Most are dead now, though. The Americans were very thorough when they, how did they describe it?, applied 'pest control'. There are only a few left from the program, and you are the best, and already with a cover for the mission you will be assigned."

"No," she refused, shaking her head. She could already see where this was going. "I'm not going to let you use me. Not again."

The doctor put down the implement he was holding and looked at her. He pauses thoughtfully for a moment before walking over and standing in front of her. "My dear Natalia, you fail to see that you do not have any other option. Your little band of merry men are captured, and they will join you on this mission, and you will be on the winning side when you come out on the other end. You will even have your pet archer with you if you co-operate."

Her jaw clenched as she glowered up at him. There was a stormy expression on her face, and she wanted so very badly to take him out. Her hands clutched the arms of the hair, knuckle white. There was a moment of surprise that she hid beneath her glare. One of the straps was loose. There wasn't too much slack, but there was enough to free one arm. One arm was better than nothing. It would be painful to free it, but she couldn't allow herself to get compromised not so easily. "Let them go. Clean them of their conditioning, and I'll be yours. Willingly," she bargained as a way to distract the doctor as she formulated a plan.

The doctor shook his head. "No. They are part of the plans, too. And bargaining your compliance is not as useful as you might think. We'll get you anyway." He placed a hand on her cheek and smiled. "It will be good to have you back on the right side."  
A message arrived on his pager and he stepped back to look at it. "I'll leave you to your thoughts for a while. I have other things to attend to." He turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

The hand on her cheek was repulsive. It made bile raise in her throat. Natasha snarled at him, waiting for him to leave. She wasn't sure how long she'd be given alone, but she was going to use it to her advantage.

The goons followed him out, leaving Natasha alone in he room. 

***  
Clint leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. "So your arm won't punch through the door?"

Bucky shook his head. 

"What about the wall?" Clint asked, raising an eyebrow and looking sidelong at Bucky.  
Bucky raised an eyebrow. " Never really thought about it."

"It's worth a shot, isn't it? We have to get Tash out of there. Before anything happens to her."

"If it breaks, I'm holding you responsible," Bucky said. 

"The wall or the arm?" Clint smirked. He was beginning to feel much more comfortable around Barnes. Would the guy come back with them to SHIELD? He imagined Cap would be happy to see his friend again. 

Bucky lined the punch up, and it sank through the plasterboard, only to meet a steel reinforcing plate. "Guess they thought that one through," Bucky said, rubbing his shoulder. The shock had travelled along his arm to be felt in his shoulder. "You can punch the next wall. Any more bright ideas, hotshot?" 

"Storm the castle, save the damsel in distress?"

"If she hears you describing her like that, she'll kill you."

"As long as it's her doing it, and not whatever they're going to turn her into, I'll go willingly."  
Barnes smiled. He knew that feeling all too well. He sat back next to Barton on the bench. The both looked up in surprise, as the door slid open. Clint knew who he hoped it would be, but he was disappointed when he saw another man enter the room, accompanied by eight goons standing in the corridor. It was only the threat of the goons' weapons that stopped Bucky from launching himself at his 'handler'.  
***

They left her alone. It was dim in the room, and she silently began the process of freeing her arm. Natasha need to make sure she could slip it out with ease. Her best plan was to wait for the good doctor to return to get the fall on him. His access card would open the locked door for her, and she could fight her way to Clint and Bucky.

The doctor returned about 30 minutes later, unaccompanied by any guards. He smiled to see that she had not moved from the chair. He was surprised that she had not tried to escape at all. "So, have you made any decisions?"

"I've made plenty of decisions," she replied tartly. Natasha guessed that he was comfortable in his lair to go about without guards. Pride goeth before the fall. She waited for him to loom closer before attacking. Her wrist ached painfully from working it in and out of the strap. "But you're here to take away my agency, so none of it matters."

The doctor smiled and walked closer to her. "I always wondered if you were the best because of that fighting streak in you. Or if it was for other reasons. You took to your conditioning far better than expected, until the mission you burned down an entire hospital to get your mark." He held her chin and used it to turn her face, as if examining a particuarly interesting object. 

Her jaw clenched as he brought on old painful memories. He raked her sins across the coals for her. As much as it hurt, it only fueled get resolved to get out of there. Natasha refused to be a weapon to him. She allowed him to grab her face as he studied her like chattel, lulling him into a sense of security. A few beats later, her arm whipped out to grab his wrist and gave it a forceful snap.

The doctor yelled in surprise and pain as she broke his wrist. He stumbled away from the chair. Nursing his wrist against his chest. 

While he nursed his wrist, Natasha went to work on freeing herself from restraints. She had to be fast and efficient before he recovered.

The doctor's mind was reeling. He knew he should call for help before she released herself completely, but he couldn't clear the pain from his thoughts. He stumbled back again as she released the final restraints and tripped over the corner of his trolley. 

Once she was free, Natasha was swiftly on her feet. There was a deadly look in her gaze as she used her anger to motivate her. In her expression, she was every bit the Black Widow. The doctor toppled his cart, and she was on him to find his access car and disable him.

"Stay away from me," he said, trying in vain to push her off him. Her expression was terrifying. Part of his mind knew he and his colleagues had made her into this, into The Black Widow, ruthless and efficient and majestic, even as she attacked him. 

"You should've thought of that before you started all this," Natasha said coldly. She was weaponless, but there were plenty of tools and instruments that clattered to the ground from the trolley. Her hand reached for the scalpel, sharp and deadly in her deft hand.

"Please... Please don't," he whimpered as she picked up the scalpel, terrified that she would kill him. "I was following orders..."

"Who's orders?" she demanded, her voice silky smooth. Lightly, she traced the blade along his flesh without applying too much pressure. It was a warning of what she would do if he made her unhappy.

He froze as she ran the blade along his skin. It took a moment before he could speak. "I never saw him... I never spoke to him! He communicates through Winter Soldier's handler." A frantic tone had worked its way into his voice.

"Why? Why come after me all these years?" she continued. Natasha wanted to get all the information she needed before neutralizing him. "And where are they keeping Hawkeye and Winter Soldier?"

"Because there are changes coming in the world, and HYRDA wants to take the opportunity to come out on top at the end of it. You never really left their radar, you know." The doctor was starting to calm down. She obviously wanted information before she killed him, and he could use that to his advantage. "I - I can take you to them. But only if you don't kill me."

His explanation wasn't comforting. It put her ill at ease, but she didn't want to deal with it right now. She couldn't. Natasha had other priorities. "Tell me, and I'll make your death painless," she told him calmly. "Make this difficult, and I'll find them on my own."

He swallowed nervously. He knew trying to bargain with the Black Widow was a bad idea, but the alternative was not good either. "I'll give you the code words to break Hawkeye's conditioning completely."

Those words had her. Natasha knew that it was something she wanted. Snarling, she hauled him up and held his body before her. She kept the scalpel pressed against his throat. "Let's go," she growled out at him as she forced him out of the room.

The doctor stumbled and gasped in pain as she hauled him to his feet and pushed him out of the room. He led the way along the corridors to the cell. 

***

Clint eyed this new opponent off. The man looked more cabable than the scientist. Bucky was glaring daggers at him. Clint caught himself wondering whether Bucky had learnt the expression from Natasha or vice versa.  
"You will both follow me, please," the handler said. 

Clint and Bucky looked at each other and frowned. There was a mutual agreement between them to comply with the request. Getting out of this room gave them a better chance to escape.  
The opportunity to escape didn't appear before they ran into Natasha with the doctor as her captive.  
***

The doctor led her to the cells without incident. Natasha forced him along at a speedy pace, eager to get out of there. She kept the scalpel pressed against his throat to let him know she was ready to spill his life's blood at a moment's notice. On the way, they bumped into Clint and Bucky being escorted.

The HYDRA goons wasted no time in covering Clint and Bucky and making sure they knew it. The hum of the energy weapons was enough to make Clint hesitate in attacking them. A standoff. Great. He hated standoffs  
"Put the scalpel down, Widow," the handler said. "Unless you want your friends to get hurt."  
Bucky caught Natasha's gaze and gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. They were ready to fight if it was needed. 

She hated having to put them through the pain, but it was a necessary evil. This was their chance to break loose. She gave Bucky a slight nod, almost imperceptible as well, and she gave a similar look to Clint. They were taking action now. Natasha pressed the scalpel a little harder on the doctor's throat and waited for them to act. 

The doctor saw his opportunity to escape and muttered another unintelligible word. As he spoke, Clint felt the pain of the conditioning and he ground his teeth.  
"Think of her, Barton," Bucky said. "Think of that ring."  
The doctor was smiling as he watched Clint fight the conditioning, but the smile disappeared as Clint stood upright, turned and hit the nearest goon. Bucky took that as a signal. 

There was a moment of confusion on Natasha's part when she heard Bucky's words. She didn't understood what he meant, but she didn't have to contemplate very long. They all burst into action, and she held the doctor close. "Break it. Permanently break his conditioning," she hissed into his ear. Natasha didn't ever want Clint to doubt that he was in control of his own mind.

The doctor sneered, seemingly confident that their greater armed numbers would give them the advantage. "You give me no incentive. You're going to kill me anyway. "

"I'll make you beg for death," she promised him if he didn't give her what she wanted. Her other hand reached down to his broken wrist, giving it a merciless squeeze. "After all, I was trained in the art of pain, doctor."

The doctor felt the ends of the break grind against each other and screamed in pain. His vision blurred momentarily before being brought around again by the pressure of the scalpel at his neck. He knew all too well exactly what she could do and how she had been trained. He watched the guards and Winter Soldier's handler taken out buy the two other men, and cringed at the sound as Bucky snapped his handler's neck. Both men were trying to catch their breath, and trying not to put weight or touch the places where they'd been hit by the energy weapons. Barton had a hand in a pocket, holding on to something tightly, as if forcing himself to remember it was there.  
He gave in as both Barnes and Barton approached him.  
"Ego conteram vobis," he said.  
Clint's vision reeled, but he felt the pressure of the conditioning lift.,

Natasha looked at Clint with concern. "Hawkeye? Are you okay?" she asked, wanting to make sure the doctor held up his end of the bargain before terminating him.

Clint nodded. "Can't feel it anymore," he said. He let go of the box in his pocket to make sure, but he could feel no pressured thoughts trying to work against him. 

At his confirmation, Natasha swiftly snapped the doctor's neck and let his body fall to the floor. She tucked the scalpel in her boot and grabbed one of the energy guns. "We need to find an exit."

"Back the way we came in?" Clint asked, stooping to pick up on of the guns, and stow another by its carrying strap across his back. 

"May as well," she nodded before turning to Bucky to make sure he was okay too. There was a look of concern in her eyes for the both of them.

"You ok, Tash?" Clint asked as they ran through the corridors. "You looked worried back there." 

"Just on edge. Last time we tried to get out of here, we got captured," she replied lightly, trying to stay focused. They made their way back to the elevator they arrived in.

Clint nodded. When they reached the elevator, he looked up at the roof of the cage for the service hatch. "Want to give me a lift, Barnes?" he asked. "Let's see if there is another way out of the shaft."  
Bucky obliged and Clint squirmed through the access hatch an had a look around. There appeared to be a service hatch at the top of the shaft, and he guessed it was for the motor room. He stuck his head back through the hatch and relayed the information. 

Natasha nodded, relieved for an alternate route. It sounded much more discreet than taking the main lift. "You two go on ahead. I'll cover you from here," she said as she readied her gun. She knew that it was only a matter of time before HYDRA caught up with them.

Bucky shook his head. "I'll cover, Widow," he said. "You two go on ahead. Once the doors close, I'll follow you."

Natasha shook her head, adamant not to let the two of them fall back into enemy hands. "No, Soldier. I mean it. You two go ahead. They didn't touch me. My head's clean. I'll be fine," she reassured him. It was immensely important to her that they went first.

"Tash, you're the one they want," Clint said. "Barnes an I are just collateral."

"I'm armed, and I'm pissed," she said evenly. "They'd be insane to go after me now." Especially after having gone after the two most important men in her life.

"This is HYDRA we're talking about," Clint muttered. "Let's stop wasting time and all go up the shaft," he offered. The longer we wait, the more time they have to regroup."  
Bucky stepped forward, wrapped his left arm around her waist and picked her up, planning to pass her up to Barton. 

"Barnes," she protested in annoyance as he lifted her up effortlessly like she was a doll. Still, she allowed Clint to take her, and she waited for Bucky to join them.

Bucky paused to disable the lift controls before climbing through the hatch with Clint's help. He couldn't help but smile at the indignant expression on Natasha's face. "Remember that time in Warsaw?" He said. It had been the first time he'd resorted to carrying her away from a pointless fight. 

"I should give you a black eye now just like I did back then," she said tartly though her expression softened somewhat. The three of them were all together, and there was a chance that they could perhaps pull this off.

Clint smirked and raised an eyebrow at the interchange. He decided it was better not to say anything, and began to climb the internal access ladder. He reached the top and pushed the hatch open, and was glad to see he'd been correct in guessing it was the motor room. 

Natasha crawled up next and followed him into the motor room. She observed it quickly, gun drawn. The lack of weight on her wrists was unsettling, and she knew that she'd have to have SHIELD commission her a new set of Bites.

"We should be a floor up from the elevator doors," Clint said quietly. He stood next to the exit to the corridor, trying to hear if there was any noise on the other side. 

There didn't seem to be any noise, but Natasha waited for Clint's confirmation. His hearing had always been better than hers.

He nodded, giving the all-clear. "I'll open, you cover?" he asked. 

She nodded and pressed against the wall, ready for him to open.

He pulled the door open towards him quickly.

Natasha was quickly scanning the area, but she was alarmed to find it empty. She looked over to Clint and Bucky to signal to them.

Clint saw her alarm and knew what it meant. It would have been safer if there were other people around. HYDRA might be less likely to try to take them out in a more public location. 

Deciding to take point, she carefully moved out in the empty hall and began staking the area out. She slowly proceeded to the right as she searched for any signs of life.

Clint followed, and Bucky brought up the rear, both keeping an eye and ear out for any signs of life. It was eerily quiet for an academic institution. Clint looked up at the roof and noticed the fire sprinklers and smiled. "Want to stir the honey pot, Tash?"

She laughed at his words and shared a smile with him. Natasha gave him a nod, and she was ready to rain some havoc on the Institute. 

Clint found the emergency alarm and broke the glass. The familiar whoop whoop of a fire alarm began, and the sprinklers began to spurt water, dampening everything. 

"Alright, let's move out," she said as she began leading the way. Now that they were back above ground, Natasha was more familiar with the layout.

A few employees of the institute appeared out of their offices, and made their way along the corridor, walking with determination towards the exit. 

Natasha looked at her two partners before following the crowd. They were close to the exit and their freedom.

Clint hoped no-one noticed them, and the weapons they were carrying. They reached the external door and filed out with the rest of the crowd. They became slightly separated amongst the people, but he couldn't spot anyone looking at them strangely, or paying too much attention to them. He shifted his way through the crowd, getting closer to Natasha. "Is it just me, or does this seem a little too easy?" he asked.

"It does," she said flatly. Natasha would've been happy with a firefight to get out of there. She stayed close to Clint and shifted them closer so they could join Bucky. "To the car?" she suggested.

Bucky nodded. "We should take a different one," he said. "They've had too much time to mess with it."

Natasha nodded as led them towards the back to the parking lot. The crowd was beginning to thin out, and her eyes sighted a non-descript black car. "Let's go," she said, still ready for a fight. They boosted the car with ease and did a check to make sure it wasn't compromised.

Clint got into the front passenger seat. He kept an eye behind them using the mirrors. They were about ten minutes down the highway when he noticed a silver sports car sneaking closer to them amongst the traffic.

"Now that's more like it," Natasha murmured from the driver's seat. It strangely put her at ease to have a tail. Artfully, she weaved through traffic and took several turns to lose the car.

Clint had to grin as she sped up and tried to lose the car in the traffic. "You can't stand nothing happening when you're on edge, can you?" he teased.  
When he didn't see it for twenty minutes, he actually thought they'd lost it, but as they approached more suburban areas, the car was behind them again. "Oh, they're good," he muttered.

"How many in the car?" she asked as she worked harder to lose them. She didn't want to bring them back to the safe house, but if she couldn't lose them then termination would be the only option.

"I'm assuming at least one," Clint replied. "The windows are tinted."

Natasha increased her speed to bring them back to main streets and busy intersections. She grew more daring with her driving, and when wily turns and dodging didn't cut it, she ran a quite a few red lights to egg them on.

Bucky braced himself in the back seat as Natasha sped up, and closed his eyes as they ran several red lights to try and lose their tail.  
Clint was watching the car in the mirror narrowly dodging the other traffic to keep pace with them. A truck clipped the trunk of the silver car as they sped across an intersection, and their tail almost lost control. 

"They're determined," she frowned. Natasha had hoped for more than just the car getting clipped, so she had to get more creative. She tried a few more daring car tricks up her sleeve, but if that wouldn't work, they'd have to shoot.

Clint braced himself against the door as Natasha took a corner on two wheels. Once they'd regained stability, he picked up a gun from the floor at his feet and wound down the window. "Can you keep it straight for a moment?" he said.

"Got it," she confirmed as she steadied her driving. Natasha kept the car steady as Clint took aim with the gun.

Clint leaned out the window and lined up the shot. The energy bolt hit the front wheel and passed through, apparently not doing any damage. Clint frowned and aimed at the drivers seat through the windscreen. The energy bolt passed through the windscreen and lit up the inside of the car as it hit the driver. The silver car spun out and hit a power pole.

"Got it taken care if, Hawk?" Natasha asked as she kept get eyes on the road. She wanted to be sure they could drive back to the safe house.

Two of the goons staggered out of the car and fired a few ineffective shots at the car and Hawkeye. Clint ducked back into the car as a bolt flew past him. "Looks that way." He grinned.

"Good work," she grinned back. Natasha high tailed it the general area of the safehouse before she had them all abandon the stolen car. There was a weariness setting in, but that was an indulgence she'd give into later.


	16. Chapter 16

Clint climbed out of the car and looked at his companions. He could feel the adrenaline rush of the chase beginning to wear off, but they had to make it to safety before they could all collapse. Knowing they'd made it out of the base and away from the tail was enough to make him grin. He resisted the urge to hug Natasha, but settled for throwing an arm around her shoulders as they walked the remaining blocks to the safe house.

Natasha felt relieved. She had Clint and she had Bucky. The mission, although rocky, was a success. The first thing she was doing when she returned to the safehouse was to call Coulson and plan an extraction. Leaning against Clint's touch, she looked at both of them. "You two okay?"

"I will be once I can get changed out of this suit. Next time Tony wants us to sit through a Bond marathon, I'm calling bullshit on 007 spending so much time wearing a suit," Clint joked.   
Bucky hung back a little from the other two. He kept an eye out on their surrounds, not quite trusting that there wouldn't be other attempts by HYDRA to find them. He had, after all, returned to this safe house with Natasha in the car HYDRA had given him. Had they tracked him back then? It had been a remarkably easy escape from the base, all things considered. He forced a smile onto his face when Natasha looked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

Natasha had her gun in hand, and she didn't relax her grip on it. She was ready to kill any opposition if necessary. When she confirmed that both men were okay, she nodded. She just hoped the safehouse wasn't compromised. It had been a rough few days, and she was looking forward to some peace. They traveled together comfortably until they loomed closer to their base.

As they approached the door to the safe house, Clint took his arm away from Natasha's shoulders, just in case there was any action. He followed Tash to the doorway and stood by as she unlocked it. There was nothing strange about it; no obvious tampering, no ominous click as the door opened... A part of Clint was almost disappointed.   
Bucky followed up the rear as they entered the house. With three of them, they checked it over quickly. Nothing appeared to be out of place until they reached the kitchen. There was an additional note added to the pile of brainstorming that had been left there.

Everything seemed to be in order until they got to the kitchen. There was a note on top of all the research. She glanced at Bucky because she hadn't placed it there, and she looked at him questioningly.

Bucky shook his head, confirming it hadn't been him, either. So someone had been in the house. He picked the note up and read it.   
"'Nice place you've got here'? What are they playing at?"

"We need to move out. It's been compromised," Natasha said immediately. She reached for the phone to update Coulson and set up a new place for them until they could set up an extraction.

Coulson answered his phone immediately and told them he'd get the ball rolling. "You're going to have to lie low in Moscow for a day or so before we can extract you," he added. "You can stay out of trouble, right?" He gave an address on the northern edge of the city for their new safe house. "Try not to get into another car chase. They're a pain to cover up," Coulson said before hanging up.  
Clint walked out of the kitchen while Natasha was talking to Coulson and re-appeared a couple of minutes later, changed out of his much-rumpled clothing into his 'suit'.

"Wilco," she replied dutifully before hanging up. Now with a plan in hand, she turned to the two men and relayed them the details. "We have a new safe house, north from here. We need to gather our necessary items and get out of here before HYDRA decides to get the fall on us."

Clint nodded. "I'm all set. I'll go and find us some wheels," he said.

"Be careful," she called to him. Normally, Natasha knew better than to tell him that, but she was still on edge of losing him.

Clint turned and raised an eyebrow at her. He was about to reply with a snarky comment, when he saw the look on her face. She really was worried. Instead he said, "I will, Widow, I promise."   
Bucky watched the exchange. He felt a pang of jealousy again, but pushed it aside. "I have nothing left to gather," he said. "Do you need a hand with your kit?"

Turning to Bucky, she gave him a tired smile and nodded. She was without her usual kit, having lost it all at the Institute, but at least the safe house was still stocked with firearms she could use. "Steve has no idea you're still alive," she told him gently as she began to gather her things.

Bucky ran a hand through his hair nervously. "I guessed as much," he said. "He'd've come charging to my rescue if he did know. At least the old Steve would have."

"He's been trying to adjust to the modern world. We've all been trying to help him through it, but he's still haunted. I see it in his eyes sometimes," she said quietly. Natasha gathered a duffel bag and placed necessary items she thought they'd need.

"Haunted?" Bucky passed her a pouch of loaded magazines.

Natasha shrugged as she took the magazines from him. "The world went on and changed, and he hadn't. I'm sure you can sympathize."

Bucky gave her a half smile. He did understand what that was like. "How's he going to react when he finds out I've changed?" he muttered, more asking himself than asking her.

There was an uncertainty and apprehension in his tone that made her reach out to gently lay a hand on his arm. "I'll help you get through it," she reassured him.

"You're going to hand me over the SHIELD?" he asked. He was beginning to wonder if he'd been saved from serving one organization to get stuck serving another. He wondered if it would be better to simply go it on his own.

"My mission was to bring you in," she told him very seriously. Natasha looked up at him. "But if you want, I can lobby in your favor. Give you the chance to go solo if that's what you want."

"I don't know what I want," he replied.

"Then I'll get you the time to figure it out," she promised him.

He nodded. "Thanks." He picked up the bag she'd been packing. "We should probably go and check that partner of yours hasn't gotten into too much trouble."

Nodding, she did one last sweep before leading Bucky out of there. Once they stepped outside, Natasha was immediately searching for Clint.

Clint had been sitting in a car down the road, idling the engine, and waiting for the other two to appear. He'd grinned madly when he'd spotted an older model Porsche 911 parked on the street two blocks away. It had been relatively easy to break into and get started, and it would also give them a bit of speed and half decent handling if they needed to get away again. When he saw Bucky and Natasha walk out, he drove up to the front of the house.

The Porcsche roared in front of them, and it made Natasha grin as well when she saw Clint in the driver's seat. She opened the door and scooted into the back to let Bucky take the front. "Nice ride, Barton," she teased.

"You chose the last one," he said, grinning. "Got the directions?"

Nodding, Natasha relayed to him how to get to the new safe house. There was still that worry that HYDRA would be on them, but she took it all in stride. They were better armed now with extraction coming in a day or two.

The new safehouse was in a tall apartment building. Clint pulled into the garage and found a park in the darkest corner he could. No sense in someone noticing the car until they were safely out of Moscow. They couldn't walk the streets as they were without pulling too much attention to themselves.

Grabbing the bag, she led the way to where they would be staying. She trusted Coulson to have everything set up for them, and she knew the key was to lay low now. Natasha looked forward to doing so if she was allowed to. Sleep sounded wonderful.

Clint flopped down sideways across an armchair once they were inside. Safe. They'd had no tails and no suspicious activity on the way to this safehouse. It was about time they were due some luck on this mission. He resisted the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep as he was. He knew he'd wake up with a stiff neck later, and now that he felt comfortable they were safe, his body was reminding him that he hadn't eaten for nearly a day, and he was in need of a shower.   
Bucky sat more normally on one of the barstools near the small kitchenette. 

Natasha set the bag down and observed their surroundings. She wanted so badly to go to sleep, but she knew she'd feel better if she got a shower in. A quick look to both men told her that they were fine if not as tired as she was. "I'm going to shower. Try not to burn the place down," she called over her shoulder as she walked to the bathroom.

Clint nodded. As she walked into the bathroom, he stood up and wandered to the fridge. He dug out the necessary items to make pasta and began to put the meal together.

Natasha took a long, hot shower, washing away the grime and stress of the past few days. It gave her a chance to silently process and decompress all her thoughts. When she was done, she felt cleaner but more tired. She dressed in more comfortable clothes of a simple tank top and shorts. Joining the men, she smelled the delicious aroma of food.

Clint pushed a plate towards her as she appeared. "If you'd taken any longer, I think I'd have to have fought Barnes for your plate," he said.

She gave Clint a grateful look and dug in. She was famished, and she had to make up for all the lost calories from combat. "It's delicious, Clint, thank you." Natasha ate with gusto before glancing between the two of them. It dawned on her finally how awkward it might be for her past lover to be around the new man she was with now. 

Bucky ate the food, but his thoughts were wandering. The dynamic between them had shifted away from being Black Widow, Hawkeye and Winter Soldier in combat against HYDRA to being a much more casual Natasha, Clint and Bucky, but he couldn't place where he fit in the group. Most of his recent memories (if he could be sure they were true) were of being Winter Soldier. He wasn't entirely sure who Bucky Barnes was anymore.   
Clint wiped his plate clean with a piece of bread. He was watching Barnes sidelong, wondering what the other man was thinking. Somehow this situation was more awkward than it had been when they were both trapped in the cell.

The silence was awkward, and it stretched a little too long. Natasha knew how to handle them both separately. She knew how to handle them during combat when they were Hawkeye and Winter Soldier. She didn't know how to handle them together as Clint and Bucky. "We should probably get some sleep. Take turns on watch," she said finally.

"I'll take first watch," Bucky offered immediately. He needed to sort his thoughts out, and he didn't think he could sleep until he did.   
Clint nodded, glad to be able to get some sleep. "Wake me in a few hours. I'll take second." He stood, rinsed his plate off in the sink and made for the shower.

 

Natasha didn't go to sleep right away. She waited for Clint to finish showering. Taking that time, she went to Bucky to really make sure he was fine. "You going to be okay?" she asked after she washed her plate.

"I have to be," he said. "Sorry. It's just a little strange."

"Is there anything I can do?" she offered, wanting to help. They still needed to have a talk and find some kind of resolution or understanding between them.

"I just need some time to think. I think." He stared at his hands for a moment before asking. "Natalia, whatever we had... whatever was between us... you've put it behind you, haven't you?"

It was the question she'd been dreading. Part of her knew the answer while an old part of her didn't want to face it. Natasha took his hands in hers and sighed heavily. "I had to. I thought you were dead, and I was alone. It hurt so much losing you."

Bucky nodded. "Right back at you," he said, trying to smile. Ten years was a long time for anyone to wait. 

"If I had known you were still alive, you know I would've come for you," she said quietly, staring at their joined hands. Things would've turned out very differently.

"I know." Bucky sighed. "And there's nothing we can do to change it. Go and get some rest, Natal... Natasha." 

She wanted to say more, to somehow make it better, but she didn't know what to do. Hearing him call her by the new name she'd taken on stung a little. It sounds heavy and clumsy on his tongue. She would always be his Natalia just as she'd always be Clint's Natasha. "I'm sorry," she said finally, expression mournful.

Bucky smiled mournfully. "We'll be fine," he said. "We.. I just need some time to figure this out." 

"I'm here. If you need me," she reminded him softly.

"I know. You always were." 

Clint emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He saw Natasha and Bucky sitting close together, having what looked to be a meaningful chat. "Bathroom's all yours, Barnes," he said.

Natasha pulled away when she heard Clint's voice and turned to him. She had a slight, tired smile on her face just for him.

Bucky stood up. A shower would help clear his head. "I hope you left some hot water, Barton," he said.   
"Tash taught me that one. Getting strangled to within an inch of your life for using all the hot water teaches you a few things," Clint said, grinning. The shower had cleared most of his worry away and made him fell more like himself. "Towels are in the hall cupboard," Clint added as Bucky walked off. He returned Natasha's smile. "You ok?"

She watched Bucky go before giving Clint her full attention. Natasha nodded and sighed. "It's just been a really draining op," she said quietly. Her fingers raked through her hair as she gave him a weak but playful smile. "Glad to have you back."

"I'm glad to be back," he grinned and sat down next to her. "I'm glad they didn't get you. I don't know what I would have done... well, I imagine I wouldn't have done much, because they would have had me, too..." He could hear himself babbling slightly.

Natasha leaned over to gently silence him with a kiss. Oh, how she missed him. Seeing him conditioned as she had been was frightening, and she was glad to have released him of it.

He stopped talking as she kissed him and kissed her back. His hand fell to his pocket as they broke the kiss, and bumped against the small box he'd stashed in there when he'd put his suit on. He smiled, remembering it had been what pulled him through in the end. He hoped she didn't remember Barnes had mentioned it.

Clint let her pull him to his feet and towards the bedroom. Playfully, he bent down slightly and picked her up to carry her into the room. Clint knew it was dangerous, but if Barnes could pick her up and fling her around, so could he. 

She was in an indulgent mood, and she gave him a smile as he carried her to the room. Natasha laid her head on his shoulder, tired and relieved. "Glad to have you back," she murmured to him.

"You need sleep, Tash. You've said that already," he teased.

"Hard to sleep knowing you were captured," she replied, hardly able to bite back a yawn. "Indulge me, okay? It's been a long op."

Clint smiled. "I will always indulge you," he said. "Its one of the things that keeps me sane." He placed her on one of the beds before sitting on the opposite one.

"Hey, come here," she softly urged him. Natasha coaxed him to her, wanting Clint close while she slept.

Clint hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want to curl up next to her, he just didn't think it was diplomatic to rub their relationship in Barnes' face. Clint still wasn't quite sure where he stood with the other guy.

She saw his hesitation and immediately understood. Natasha gave a soft sigh. It was hard balancing the two of them. "Wake me up for third watch," she told him quietly before curling up in her bed.

Clint sighed as she curled up. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before making his mind up. He crossed the room to her bed and curled up next to her.

Natasha was already drifting off when she felt the bed shift. Clint's warm weight nestled against her, and she instinctively curled up to him. "Clint?" she said, sleepy and confused.

He kissed the back of her head. "Scoot over a bit, or I'll fall off," he muttered. As they resettled to both fit on the single bed, he draped one arm across her middle. He was asleep and snoring lightly within minutes. 

Bucky wasn't surprised to find that they'd gone to bed when he got out of the shower. They were all tired. He sat down on the couch and put his feet up, thinking. If what Natalia Natalia was saying was true, and their mission had been to bring the Winter Soldier in, then it was a success, but if he went in with them, he'd have to deal with Steve... After seeing the changes in Natalia over only ten years, what would have changed in Steve in over seventy? Especially since Steve had missed everything in those seventy years that Bucky had at least some memory of what had happened in those intervening years. 

He spent his watch thinking about his options. He could go in with them, and join SHIELD (if they'd have him). He could disappear and go rogue for a while, working for whoever would pay him, but that ran a lot of risks. He even briefly considered returning to HYDRA, but ruled it out because they would never let him be himself. 

When his watch was up, he went into the bedroom to wake Barton. He had to stop himself from dragging the archer away from Natasha when he saw them spooning, reminding himself that Natalia had made her decision known to both of them. He'd call Barton out on it later, for now they all had to get along. He shook Barton's shoulder gently to wake him up, trying not to also wake Natasha. 

Clint woke and looked up at Bucky blearily. "My turn?" he asked quietly.   
Bucky nodded. Clint carefully extracted himself from around Natasha and stood up, rubbing his eyes. "Sleep well, Barnes," he said before leaving the room.   
Bucky lay down on the spare bed and closed his eyes, trying to banish his thoughts of jealousy.

Natasha scooted to give Clint room. She knew that this wasn't kind to Bucky, but it was something she needed. Just as she had gone through so much with Bucky, she'd done the same with Clint. They'd just finally admitted to each other how they felt before being thrown into this mission. She nestled into the warmth and comfort that he offered her. All the high emotions and stress put her into a heavy slumber that she hardly noticed when Clint pulled away. Instead she curled up into the warmth he left behind until it was her turn to take watch.

Clint sat sideways in the armchair while he took his watch. Once the bleariness had worn off, he found himself surprisingly rested. His thoughts flicked through everything that had happened in the last two weeks. The mission with Bobbi, talking with Natasha about them and then being launched into this mission with her without any downtime. Now they knew the mission with Bobbi had been a setup, he decided it wasn't their partnership that had made it so easy. What worried him was why it was a setup. What did HYDRA actually want Natasha to do? And why had they gone to such lengths to draw her in? 

When the time came to wake Natasha for her shift on watch, Clint found that he was still very much awake, so he didn't bother with it. Sleeping before and after a middle watch was never easy, and the sun would be up in an hour or so. 

When it came close to what would have been the end of Natasha's watch, Clint wandered into the kitchen and looked to see what there was for breakfast. He grinned when he found bacon, eggs and the makings of pancake batter in the cupboard and fridge, and he busied himself with getting the food ready.

Natasha awoke abruptly at the smell of bacon. There was a crash of panic running through her when she realized she slept right through her watch. She knew she must've been so tired to do that. A glance next to her showed still slumbering Bucky. Clint must not have woken her for her watch. Getting up, she quietly padded out of the room and into the kitchen where Clint was cooking. She gave him an accusatory look. "You didn't wake me up."

"Didn't need to. I wasn't tired," he replied. "Can you flip the pancakes?"

Natasha sighed at him, but went to flip the pancakes. Breakfast smelled delicious. "How are you feeling?"

He smiled at her. "Pretty good, actually, all things considered. You?"

"Better now. Ready to get the hell out of here," she replied to him. Natasha placed the pancakes onto the platter and made a few more.

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically as she flipped the pancakes. Natasha made sure there was enough for all of them. "You should've woken me up."

"Nothing to apologise for," he said. "I was busy thinking, and I wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep by the time it was your turn." He pushed the bacon onto a plate and cracked three eggs into the frypan.

"Thinking about what?" she asked curiously, hoping she wasn't prying.

"Everything," he said. "The last couple of weeks have been... interesting."

"To say the least," she nodded as she made herself a cup of coffee.

"When they, when they had you..." He wanted to express his concern, but instead he asked, "Did they say why they wanted you?"

"Specifically? No," she replied with a shake of her head. She sipped silently at her coffee. "But they wanted to recondition me, have me back on the right side. Something do with SHIELD or the Avengers because they said I already had a cover."

Clint was surprised. That wasn't what he'd expected. Someone was playing a long game, ad he didn't like feeling like one of the pawns. "Sorry they used me to get to you," he said. "I guess this is why they don't like agents to have personal attachments." He smiled at her apologetically. 

"Clint, it's fine," she told him. Natasha moved closer to him to wrap her arms around his midsection. "Now they know what I'm capable of when it comes to you."

He smiled as she hugged him. "It's good to know," he said. After enjoy ing the hug for a minute he said, "Do you want to go and wake Barnes? Food's ready."

 

"I'm awake. Are you two going to eat all of that? Or is it to share?" Bucky emerged from the bedroom, running a hand through his hair and wiping the sleep out of his eyes. The smell of cooking bacon had woken him and made him realize how hungry he was.

Natasha pulled away from Clint and turned to Bucky. She poured him a cup of coffee, making it just the way he liked it even after ten years. "How did you sleep?" she asked as she passed him the mug.

He took the mug gratefully and took a mouthful. So she still remembered after all this time? "Thanks," he said. "I slept like the dead."

"You and me both," she agreed with a soft laugh and a nod. Natasha stretched her muscles a little to wake them up. "We need to call Coulson and check in."

"Breakfast first, Tash," Clint said. "Otherwise it's torture." He divided the food three ways and handed the plates "So what are we going to tell Coulson?" he asked between mouthfuls of pancakes. 

It was nice food than she could possibly eat, but she worked on reclaiming lost calories. Natasha nibbled on some bacon. "He'll know if we try to keep somethings from him," she pointed out.

"That's the problem."   
Their conversation was interrupted by the apartment's land line ringing. Clint frowned, reached over and pressed the speaker button.   
"Barton? Romanov?" Coulson's voice spoke out of the phone. 

It was like their handler knew he was being talked about. They didn't have time to regroup what they were going to say. "Sir," she greeted calmly.

Clint rolled his eyes. Coulson had a bloody sixth sense. "Hi, Phil," Clint said. "What can we do for you?"   
"Just updating you on the situation. We can get you out of there tomorrow," Coulson said. "Unless..."  
Clint looked across the table at Natasha and then glanced at Barnes. Coulson rarely sounded uncertain about anything. "Unless what?"  
"Whatever you guys have been up to, and I don't want to know what it is just now - has stirred up a bit of a hornets nest. We need a team on the ground to gather some intel."

Natasha mulled over the mission. They were all tired and on edge, not a good combination for a mission. It would also make them easy prey if HYDRA wanted to recapture them. She knew that if she spoke up, particularly about her being the mark, she'd be called back in which would leave Clint without her. No one could watch his back better than she could. Looking to her partner, she silently checked to see how he felt about it, ready to go along with his decision.

Clint was looking at Natasha with much the same expression. 

Coulson seemed to sense their hesitation. "There'll be a day of downtime while we set some things up on our end. I know you're tired, but you're the best we've got. I don't trust anyone other than you two or Rogers with a HYDRA investigation. And we can't send him in for other reasons."  
Bucky frowned. "What about me? Do I just sit around here?"

Coulson's surprise was evident in his voice. "Is that Barnes?" 

"Yes. He has our trust," Clint said. "We made a judgment call." 

"He's part of our team," Natasha added confidently. She trusted Bucky, and she wanted Coulson to known that's upfront. She gave a sigh and knew that the mission was up to them. At least they'd be given time to decompress and get themselves together. "What's the details of the op?"

"Understood. I want you to find out what they're up to. We're not too fond of sudden spikes in activities. I'll call you tomorrow with more details. Do you need any kit sent?"   
Barton listed off what they'd lost, and Coulson took it in his stride, though he sounded slightly surprise when he confirmed replacements for Natasha's Bites. "I'll get them sent ASAP, but hopefully you won't get that close."

"Copy that," Clint said. "We'll wait for your call."   
Couslon hung up. Clint sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if we're entirely sane," he said.   
Bucky didn't really know what to think about being included in the team. What had their mission been originally? Was it really a good idea to risk them all falling into HYDRA's clutches again? 

Natasha shared Bucky's sentiment. She would've much rather been extracted. Still, she knew she couldn't hide. HYDRA would've always want her, no matter what she did. At least Coulson would be sending them their kits. "We better enjoy the downtime. It's back to work tomorrow," she said with a tired sigh.

Clint nodded. "What do we want to do, then, kids?" he asked. All he wanted to do was find a quiet corner away from Bucky and spend the day with Natasha and have a chance to talk to her, but he didn't think that was really an option. Another picnic expedition would be out of the question too, since if HYDRA had ramped up their activities, they would no doubt be on the lookout for the three of them.

Natasha looked between the two men, knowing she'd have to juggle them delicately. If they were going to go on a mission together, they needed to all get along. "I think it's best if we stay in. HYDRA will be looking for us. Best not to call attention to ourselves," she replied. She hated being cooped up, but it was really the only option.

Clint and Bucky nodded in unison. Clint raised an eyebrow and smirked briefly at Barnes. He liked the guy, it was just the Natasha not-quite-problem that had them at loggerheads. "Barnes needs some other clothing. Should've asked Coulson. I wouldn't mind my t-shirt and jeans back," Clint said, staring at his plate to try and keep a straight face.   
Bucky returned Barton's expression. He'd almost forgotten he was wearing the other man's clothes. He leaned back in his chair. "I saw a mall a block down the road when we were on our way in. Should be safe enough for a quick trip."

She'd all but forgotten about Bucky's clothes. Natasha stared between the two with a raised brow. "Never heard of two men being so eager to go shopping," she said dryly. He needed clothes, and she supposed it would be good for them to get out and not do something mission related. 

"I'll go alone," Bucky said, standing up. One person attracted less attention than three. "No sense in us all being spotted together."

"Power in numbers. One of us should go with you," she argued with him firmly. "One person will remain behind in case something goes down."

"You two should go," Clint said. "I'll sound too much like a tourist. Attract too much attention."   
"I'll be fine, Nat," Bucky argued back. "I'll be gone half an hour at the outside."

"It's payback for picking me up and throwing me around like a ragdoll," she said smugly. Natasha glanced to Clint to make sure he was fine with her going.

Clint shrugged and nodded. He wouldn't have minded the opportunity to spend a bit of time with her alone, but a cover of a guy and a girl clothes shopping was better than one of just Bucky out by himself.   
"Desperate times called for desperate measures, Nat," Bucky said.   
Clint stood and gathered the plates. "Bring back a deck of cards, or something similar to pass the time," he said. "If you're not back in 45, I'll call it in." he added as they walked out the door. 

Natasha felt the urge to kiss him on the cheek before leaving, something she'd been growing accustomed to, but she thought better of it with Bucky around. Grabbing a jacket, she shrugged it on and gave him a nod before leading Bucky out the door.

Clint smiled to himself as they left. Natasha was so protective sometimes, but he knew she didn't accept the same attitude back. He was a little jealous she was out and about with Bucky, but it really wasn't practical for them all to go together.   
He cleared the dishes up and then sat lengthwise on the couch, watching the television to pass the time.


	17. Chapter 17

"Clothes shopping," she mused as they made their way down. Natasha gave Bucky an amused side long glance. "Never thought you and I would do something so normal."

Bucky grinned. "It's better than that time in Kosovo. When they thought it would be funny to give us a cover as a family?" Natasha taking 'the kids' to school and integrating with the other mothers had been an assignment to watch. 

Her nose wrinkled. The children weren't so much the problem as it was the other mothers. She often returned to Bucky grousing about how gossipy they were, and how terribly they judged one another behind each other's backs. "As long as you don't decide to be too picky about your clothing," she said lightly.

"Have I ever been?" he said. He walked into the first clothing store they came to and grabbed the first shirt and jeans he saw. 

Natasha made a face at the clothes he grabbed. She reached over and yanked the shirt back and returned it. "We can afford to be a little picky," she said with a shake of her head. She looked him over and pegged his size and grabbed more flattering shirts for him instead.

Bucky grinned. Nat could be such a -girl- sometimes. They made the purchase and were walking out of the mall when a voice cut through the general din of the mall.   
"Mikail? Mikail! It is you, I haven't seen you in... Has it really been twelve years?"  
Bucky couldn't help but flinch. He knew that voice, but he couldn't place it clearly. Someone he met while in deep cover, perhaps? The last time he could remember going by Mikail was when the Red Room had sent him undercover into the Russian mafia.   
The voice was closer when he spoke again. "And who is your little friend? This isn't the dancer you spoke so highly of, is it? Ana, wasn't it?"

Natasha stiffened imperceptibly. She hadn't accounted for anyone recognizing them outside of HYDRA like this. Immediately, she slipped into the role of this Ana for Bucky. Her arm looped through his companionably, and she gave him a teasing smile. "Talking about me again, have you?" she chuckled at 'Mikail'.

"I can't stop talking about you, Ana," Bucky replied. He forced a smile onto his face and turned to face the other man. "It has been far too long," he said, offering a hand to him.   
The man smiled amicably, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes, and took Bucky's hand to shake it. "Are you doing anything right now? Let's go and get a drink," he said. "We've got a lot to talk about."

There was something off about the man that Natasha's instinct ringing. She tightened her hold on Bucky, leaning against him. "Oh, we really can't," she said apologetically. "It's our anniversary this evening, and Mikail knows how cross I'll be if he tries to wheedle his way out of it. He already forgot what day it was." She threw him a scolding look.

The Russian smiled. His gaze flicked briefly over their shoulders, making eye contact with someone else and nodding slightly. "Then let us celebrate your anniversary together," he said, clapping Bucky on the shoulder. "You don't really have a choice unless you want to cause a stir. I wouldn't want to leave a soldier widowed on his anniversary," his voice was much quieter as he continued.

She tensed. Her smile only drop a fraction. Natasha was glad that she had the foresight to carry a gun in her jacket because it seemed like she was going to need it. She played the part of Ana, looking up at Mikail with an expression of quiet terror. "Mikail? What is going?" she asked fearfully.

Bucky eyed the man off. He really wished he could remember the guy's name. The subtle reference to their handles let him know this guy, and any of his friends in the area knew who they really were. He tried not to let his smile falter, but it was a near thing. "We really should be..."

"Just a drink and a chat with an old friend or few. Surely you've got time for that."

"Just a drink and a chat?" Bucky confirmed. He was curious as to what the man was playing at. He decided to play along. "Ana, I think we have time for a quick drink. Your friends aren't expecting us for a while." Bucky let the man know that they had someone waiting for them. 

The mafia man smiled, having understood the reference. It didn't matter, he was being honest about wanting to talk. When international agents hit the ground in your town and stirred things up, it was only polite to ask why. "Just a drink and a chat," he echoed again. "Come, there is a quiet cafe down the road."

Natasha clutched tight at Bucky's arm like any uneasy woman would have done. Her gun nestled comfortably against her side. Quietly, she pretended to frightfully concede to the agreement. "Please, let us make it quick," she insisted.

The mafia man led them to a cafe in a side alley, about halfway back to their safe house. Three other men peeled of from the crowd in the shopping centre and followed then along the street and into the cafe. There were few people in the small shop, but the first man led them through to a back room, comfortably outfitted with couches and a coffee table. He reached into his jacket, drew his gun and placed it slowly onto the table. "A good faith gesture, my friends," he said. "I hope you will do the same."

Natasha didn't trust them. She had no idea who they were, save for possible connections to the mafia. She stayed pressed against Bucky and pretended to look to him for comfort and guidance. She wasn't sure if they knew her real identity, so she threw herself wholeheartedly into her Ana role.

He suspected the Black Widow was armed, but she was doing such a wonderful performance as 'Ana' that he was tempted to play along, but there was no time for playing. He waved one of his goons forward. "Check them for weapons," he said, his friendly demeanor all but gone. 

The goons stepped forward, roughly checking the both of them. They found her gun and set it on the table before them. Natasha's expression grew stony as she stared unflinchingly at the man before her, silent.

"Was that all that difficult, -Black Widow-?" he asked, rolling her handle out in Russian. "You may take it back when you leave. This is merely a /professional/ courtesy. Please. Sit." He sat down and gestured to the couch opposite. "Would you like a drink?"

Natasha's lips dipped into a slight frown. Whoever this man was, he knew them. She gave a slight tilt of her head in rejection of his drink offer. "No, thank you," she said politely, danger laced in her words.

He shrugged. "No need to be so icy. I grew interested when reports surfaced of old KGB assests being taken out. And then one of your old contacts told me you were in town, Natalia. And -then- there was some talk of curious goings on in Dubna and a car chase in my town. You've grown showy since you joined the Avengers, Natalia," he said in a very accusatory tone, almost as if he was scolding a small child. "Now there's talk of extra HYDRA activity in my town and I think you're to blame."

Bucky frowned, memories surfacing of the man who had let him walk (well, stagger) away when his cover had been blown on that op. The intermediate years had not been kind to him. 

Natasha gave him a displeased look. She didn't like the idea of her style being so showy now. Maybe being an Avengers and being around Stark so much was rubbing off on her. She gave him a bored look, feigning disinterest. She didn't know he wanted from there, and since his connection was to Bucky, she let him take the reigns.

"What do you want from us?" Bucky asked.   
"Always so straight to the point, Barnes. I want you to finish your business here; stop stirring up trouble. And I want you to remove HYDRA's influence from this region, if you can."

 

"Consider it done," Natasha said smoothly, speaking up for the first time since her cover as Ana was blown. It was something SHIELD already wanted out of her, and since the two directives aligned, it was an easy thing to do.

The man smiled. "I look forward to your results. I trust working for the Blue has not dulled your edge."  
He stood up and picked his gun up to return it to its holster. 

 

Natasha glanced around at the man and his goons before slowly reaching for her gun to show that she was only taking it back to put it where it belonged. She looked to Bucky to see if he wanted to know anything else from this man.

None of the goons twitche as Natasha picked her gun back up. Bucky met her gaze and shook his head. They needed to get back before Barton was worried. "Let's go."

Natasha nodded as she stood up. If Bucky was ready to go, so was she.

As they reached the door of the cafe, the man called out. "If you need our assistance, leave a message at the counter."  
"Thanks," Bucky said as he held the door open for Natasha. Once they were back on the main street, he put his arm around her shoulders, trying to make it look like they were a happy couple who had just stopped for a coffee.   
They took a roundabout route back to the safe house, though Bucky suspected the mafia men already knew where they were staying. Neither of them said anything until they were back at the safe house.   
Clint looked up as someone knocked four times on the door. He used the peephole and was relieved to find that it was Barnes and Natasha. He opened the door for them.   
"You're running a bit behind time," he said. "Everything alright?"

"We were held up," Natasha answered as she stepped in. She reached into Bucky's bag to pass him the pack of cards she picked up for him. "We've apparently caught the attention of the mafia."

Clint raised an eyebrow. "Held up by the mafia? And they just let you walk out of there? What happened to keeping a low profile?" He caught the cards, opened the packet and began to shuffle and cut the deck in various ways.

"We were until we left the store. He seemed to have known Bucky from the past," she shrugged as she moved to seat herself comfortably on the couch.

"I can't quite pin him down, other than he was the one who let me walk away from them when my cover was blown," Bucky said. "Stagger, really." He looked at Clint's card tricks and said, "Any game we play, you're not dealing." Before walking to the bedroom to get changed.   
Clint stopped mid cut, frowning slightly at the cards. "He knows I learned half the card tricks I know from you, right?" he said. He scooted next to Natasha on the couch.

Natasha turned Bucky's information in her. At least the mafia wanted HYDRA gone as much as they did. While he went to change, she took the moment to steal some time with Clint. Her lips brushed along his cheek lightly as she chuckled. "He'll learn if he doesn't," she replied.

Clint wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "So what was you impression of this mafia guy?" he asked. 

She melted against him, grateful for the physical affection. "He knows how to handle business. He's focused on the job as a whole, and he doesn't care for HYDRA. He wanted us to do our job and get out of here, get rid of HYDRA too if we can," she answered.

"Useful having sanctioned SHIELD agents in their home town to clean up their messes, then?" Clint said. 

"Imagine that," she replied dryly. She was looking forward to getting this mission over with. The fact that HYDRA wanted her so badly put her on edge. She'd narrowly escaped them once, and luck had been on her side. Had the goons not strapped her in properly, they would've had her back. It was unsettling how close came.

Clint sensed her unease and hugged her. "I won't let them get you," he said. 

She leaned against him and sighed quietly. Even without words, he knew what was troubling her. "Thank you," she murmured. She knew Clint would try his best to keep her safe.

"Not a problem at all, Tash," Clint replied. "What... what did they say to you when they had you?" He wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it, but he was curious.

"They wanted me back on the right side. That if I cooperated, I would get to keep you," she said quietly, closing her eyes against the memory.

Clint frowned. Leverage. Collateral. He didn't like being used against her. 

Bucky emerged from the bedroom, changed into his new clothes. He sat down in the arm chair and put his feet up on the coffee table. "So what game are we playing?"

Natasha reluctantly pulled away from Clint and put a respectable amount of distance between then. "You choose," she suggested to Bucky.

Clint resisted the urge to pull her back to him. 

Bucky held out his hand for the deck of cards and thought for a moment. "Poker is traditional for spies, isn't t?"

"We can see who has the best game face," Natasha smirked at the two of them.

"That's not fair, Tash," Clint said. "We can't compete with yours."

She chuckled at them and gave them a little shrug. "I can't help it."

They spent a pleasant few hours playing cards and relaxing. As they were finishing up before stopping for lunch, a message came through from Coulson stating that a new vehicle and kit had been deposited in the building's garage. Clint folded his hand onto the table and stood up.   
"I'll go downstairs and get it," he said. 

"I'll go with you," Natasha said immediately, standing up to join him. She was still insistent in going in groups, and some time alone with Clint wouldn't hurt.

Clint smiled and held the door open for her. Once it was shut behind them, he put an arm around her shoulders. "Your poker face is the same expression you wear when you're going to attack someone," he joked. "It's slightly terrifying." 

Natasha leaned against him and chuckled. "It scared the two of you into folding."

"You shouldn't use it on friends," he said as they got into the lift. "It's an unfair advantage."

"You should know by now that I work hard and play hard," she teased him. Natasha hit the bottom floor and waited for the lift to reach the lobby.

"Oh I do," he said. The lift doors slid open at the car park level. A couple were waiting to go up on the lift and stepped aside as Clint and Natasha stepped out. 

Companionably, she slipped her hand into Clint's as they walked to the car Coulson had set up. "I hope this next mission goes smoothly."

"HYDRA, The Russian Mafia... What could go wrong?" Clint muttered. 

"Maybe we can pit them against one another and step out while they're otherwise engaged," she replied hopefully.

Clint grinned. That sounded like a good plan. He opened the boot of the car and was happy to see Coulson had been true to his word and restocked their kit. 

She admired their kit with relief. It made her feel better to have their proper things. "That puts me at ease."

Clint nodded. He picked up the quiver and his spare bow and almost had to resist the urge to hug them. He'd spent far too much time these past few days shooting with a gun. He slung the quiver over his shoulder (in its case it looked just like a portfolio tube) and picked up the duffle bag he assumed contained the extra ammunition and kit for Barnes. A black case of the kind that usually contained one of the SHIELD tablets sat on top of the other duffle bag, which was labelled with one of Natasha's tags.   
"This does feel comfortingly familiar," he said. 

Natasha took her bag and grab the case. She grinned, eager to rifle through her duffel bag, but she knew better than to do it right there in the open. "Come on. Let's get some lunch and take all this back to the safe house."


	18. Chapter 18

Clint closed the car boot and walked back across the car park to the lift. They returned to the safe house and put the kit on the coffee table. "No problems?" Bucky asked. 

"None, and now we're adequately prepared for the op," she replied as she set her bag down. Natasha opened and began looking through the things Coulson arranged for her. She had a new set of guns along with her bites, and she smiled in satisfaction.

Clint grinned and picked up the tablet and sat on the arm of the couch. He flicked through the detail on the mission. Nine of Winter Soldier's targets were listed; those accounted for from his activity and their own. SHIELD had speculated that there were still another three targets left. They were assigned to investigate why HYDRA had reactivated Winter Soldier and try to shut down their base if they could.

"What's the directive?" Natasha asked him from her spot across the room. She laid out all her things neatly, making sure her guns were loaded and ready.

"Figure out why HYDRA reactivated Barnes, who the other possible targets are and take down the base in Dubna if we can," Clint replied. "Guess we can check of the first one," he added.

"Figure out why HYDRA reactivated Barnes, who the other possible targets are and take down the base in Dubna if we can," Clint replied. "Guess we can check of the first one," he added.

"The whole building or simply the underground lair?" she asked thoughtfully with a look that bode well for no one. She would happily send that place sky high now that she knew what they were capable of doing in there.

"The lair."   
"Can we check off why I was reactivated?" Bucky asked. "We know it was to draw Nat in, but we still don't know why they wanted her."

"Something involving SHIELD. I think they planned to send me back in reconditioned," she replied to him with an unhappy look. Natasha didn't like being used as a tool.

"So we can check it off halfway," Clint said, scribbling a note on the dossier with his finger. He looked up at Natasha. "They would have had all three of us. You and me back in SHIELD... And Barnes if they wanted to send him in." He didn't like the idea. HYDRA was playing a much longer game than just wanting to retrieve Natasha's services.  
Bucky nodded at Natasha and gave her a conciliatory smile. He knew that feeling all too well. They'd both fought hard to get out of the clutches of the KGB and the Red Room, and to have someone else track them down just to use them pissed him off.

Natasha didn't like being used. She wasn't a weapon or tool to be handled and controlled. Clint gave back her agency and mind. "Any ideas for the plan to take down the Dubna lair?" she asked as she looked between the two men.

"Under a lake? Easiest way would be to flood it," Bucky suggested.   
"That'd give a new meaning to wetwork," Clint joked.

 

"Flood it," Natasha repeated with an appreciative nod. "I like it."

"Let's plan for that, then," he said. "Do you remember who the other targets might that've been, Barnes?"  
Bucky shook his head. "I think the targets were part of the conditioning."  
"Who else was involved in the Red Room program? If the other targets were all involved in it...?" Clint asked. 

"How many targets did you say were left?" she asked thoughtfully as she went over some paperwork to see what targets had already been taken care of.

"They're guessing three," Clint said. 

"Guskov," she said suddenly as she looked to Bucky. "You haven't gotten to him yet. He was one of the doctors that made sure the conditioning stuck."

Bucky's expression darkened. Guskov had been the one to figure out he and Natasha were cracking their conditioning. "I should have killed him ten years ago," he said. 

Natasha shared a look with Bucky, her expression grim. Guskov had partly been responsible for their separation. "Guskov and his right hand man Bragin. If they're still alive, surely they'll be targets."  
"I don't think targets is the right word," Bucky said. "Can I have a look at that?" He pointed at the tablet.   
Clint handed it to him and watched as Bucky flicked through the

"I don't think targets is the right word," Bucky said. "Can I have a look at that?" He pointed at the tablet.   
Clint handed it to him and watched as Bucky flicked through the file. "Weren't the other doctor, and your old handler on the targets list? And they were working with HYDRA."  
Bucky nodded. "That's exactly what I'm thinking," he said. "The targets were just chosen to make you sit up and take notice."

"Well, if they're in league with HYDRA, might as well take them out as well once we take down the Dubna lair," she shrugged. "We'll need some explosives maybe if we want to flood it."

Clint nodded. "We'll need another way in, too. They're not just going to let us waltz in to their base again."

"They're going to strengthen their security," she agreed. Slipping in undercover wasn't going to work again which meant they would have to get creative.

Bucky looked thoughtful for a moment. "We could always..." He shook his head. "No, that's too risky."  
Clint guessed what he was thinking. "Yes it is, and we can't. Not unless we take out anyone who knows anything about the conditioning first. That's a last resort. A -very- last resort."

Natasha was amused at the two of them especially the way they seemed to be thinking on the same wavelength. It was better than having them at odds with one another. "Look at you two, getting along and sharing ideas," she quipped dryly.

Clint and Bucky looked at each other and then at Natasha.   
"You wouldn't like the wavelength, Tash," Clint said.  
Bucky nodded, agreeing. "We're not going to do that anyway, Barton."

"It's like you two have made some sort of unspoken fraternity," she shook her head at them. Natasha went about cleaning herself guns to ensure they wouldn't jam. "Something happen while you two were captive together?"

"I'd say we bonded a little," Clint said. He and Bucky were more alike than he wanted to admit, and if it wasn't for the tension caused by Natasha's presence, they would probably get along like a house on fire.   
Bucky nodded his agreement. Their 'unspoken fraternity' at this stage was a want to protect Natasha, regardless of which one of them she had chosen.

"Okay, so what's this plan neither of you think is a good idea?" she asked them with a curious look.

Clint frowned. "Enough of a bad idea that I don't think it's feasible except as a last resort."  
Bucky looked between Natasha and Clint. Nat was wearing one of her dangerous expressions. "They baited you to get you here. We return the favour," he said. "If they're still wanting your 'services', that is."  
Clint shook his head emphatically. "We can't do that. If it goes wrong... If we lose her..." 

Already, she could sense what the plan was. She could understand Clint's hesitation. He'd almost lost her once, and they'd been lucky she managed to escape. It was a big risk. Bucky was like her. They took big, dangerous chances for a great payoff. "If it's necessary, then I'll do it," she said carefully, trying not to alarm Clint.

Clint frowned. "If we do it, I'm going in with you," he said stubbornly.   
"Barton..." Barnes said. "You can't..."  
"HYDRA'll know our conditioning is broken. The only way they'd not suspect anything, Barnes, is if you 'go rogue' and take us in," Clint said, trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince the others. 

Natasha shared a look with Bucky. Clint was stubborn and once he had an idea in his head, it was hard to get him to let it go. His argument was a fair one, a good possible plan. "Or I can offer myself up in exchange for both of your safety, to keep you out of their hands," she replied contemplatively. "They know of my attachment to the both of you."

Clint shook his head. He was going to dig his heels in on this one if they had to do it. "That wouldn't guarantee anything. Besides, this is only a backup plan, isn't it?"

"It's a good plan," she said warily. Sending her in was a good in for them with HYDRA.

Clint shook his head. "It's a dangerous plan. We don't know what they want you for. We shouldn't've even thought of it."

"If I go in, we can take them down and find out what their plan is for me and the rest of us," she pointed out to him.

"If -we- go in," Clint said. "It won't work if it's just you. They know Barnes was hanging out with both of us, if he only brings one in, they'll be suspicious."  
"I could tell them I'd taken care of you," Bucky replied. "Then if things go south, you'll be on the outside and they won't be expecting you." 

Clint stood up and stalked out to the apartment's balcony. He knew Barnes' suggestion was valid, and made more sense, but he didn't want to admit it. He'd almost lost Natasha once already on this mission; twice if he counted that he'd been brainwashed too... He didn't want to run the risk again. 

Natasha watched him storm out. Their plan was a good one, and if HYDRA could believe that Clint was dead, that left them with an ace in the hole. She sighed softly and looked to Bucky. "Give me a moment with him," she said before she moved out to join him. Clint's back was to her when she stepped outside, and she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know I'll always find my way back to you, one way or the other."

Clint didn't hear her step out, and he jumped a little when she laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's not that, Tasha," he said. "It's whether you'll be -you- when you do. I... Being brainwashed again..." Clint sighed. "I remember what Loki said he was going to make me do to you. And then to have someone else; someone -human- try the same thing..." He shook his head. 

"If there's anyone who can break my conditioning again, it's you, Clint. You did it the first time. Second time should be cake since you already know what to expect," she murmured to him. Natasha knew that Bucky could see them through the glass doors, but she didn't care at the moment. She stepped closer to Clint and enveloped him in her arms. "You'll bring me back."

"I don't plan to lose you in the first place," Clint said into her hair as he returned the hug. He didn't care, it wasn't like Barnes didn't know how he felt about Natasha. Hell, Barnes even knew about the ring...  
Clint's left hand drifted down to his pocket to double check if the ring box was still in there. 

Closing her eyes, she tilted her face towards him to brush her lips against his. She trusted him to get her back, no matter what happened. Natasha was aware of his arm moving and she pulled away to look at him quizzically.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently. 

"What are you doing?" she asked him in confusion.

"Nothing," he replied. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. Having her close and hugging her was enough to distract him from the crazy idea of a mission plan they'd come up with.

Confusedly, she blinked. Instead of making a big deal, she melted into his embrace. He didn't seem as agitated about the plan at least. Natasha tilted her head up for a kiss.

Clint dropped his head slightly and kissed her on the lips. As they broke apart, he whispered, "Tash. Be careful. Please." 

The kiss was gentle and beseeching. She knew just how worried he was about her going into this. "I will," she promised him. It was already risky with her going in. Natasha didn't need to take any unnecessary risks.

He gave her a half smile and hugged her again. "And if Barnes doesn't look after you, I'll hunt him down," he said, just loud enough for Bucky to hear him.   
"Good luck on that one, Barton," Bucky called out in response.   
Clint grinned. "Thanks for grounding me, Tasha," he said.

"I know it's just easy, but I trust that if things go wrong, you'll get me back," she said with a small smile. Natasha gave him one last kiss before drawing away. They needed to set out the particulars of the plan.

Bucky looked at them strangely as they re-entered the apartment. It was strange to see Natasha's methods on someone else. He could remember many times when she'd done the same for him, be it because he'd become too involved in a mission, or because he needed to be reminded that he was James, and not Winter Soldier. "So we're a go on this plan?" he asked.

Natasha avoided Bucky's gaze, hating that he'd have to play witness to their private moment. She returned to her guns and put them back together properly. "It's a go," she replied quietly.

Bucky nodded. It scared him a little too. Surrendering Natalia to HYDRA was a dangerous plan, but it would be so effective if they pulled it off. He was nervous about going back in, too. If HYDRA got even an inkling of their plan, both he and Nat would be in a world of trouble. They needed to contact HYDRA and set up an exchange. 

There was a cold fear that settled inside of her that she refused to think about. Fear would only hinder her from being at her best. Her expression was impassive as she forced a wave of calm through her. This plan was going to work. It had to work. Looking up, she glanced at Clint for a moment. If anything did go wrong, she trusted he would come save her. She turned back to Bucky. "We should contact them," she said.

"I'll see what I can do," Bucky said, standing up. He handed the tablet back to Clint. "From now on, you can't be seen, Barton."  
Clint opened his mouth to protest, but Bucky cut in before he could get a word out. "If I'm going to be telling them you're dead, then they spot you, it'll blow the cover."  
Clint hated that Bucky was right. "I'll work on a disguise while you're out," he said, begrudgingly. 

***  
Bucky walked down the stairs to the street level, as there were several people waiting for the lift when he emerged from the room. He needed to gather his thoughts without the innane chatter of the young family in the lift. The mission would be dangerous, and he had to have his head in the right place, or they'd all be in trouble.  
He stepped out onto the street, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious as he made his way to the phone booth on the corner.  
Eight phone calls and half an hour later he finally got in contact with someone who could pass his message on to the right people.  
"Wouldn't've pinned you for someone to come crawling back," the contact said.  
"SHEILD's offered me a pretty raw deal," Bucky replied. "I bring in the Widow, and HYDRA employs me. I don't see how it's a problem."  
"When can you bring her in?" Bucky could hear the contact's grin through his words, as though the man couldn't believe his luck.  
"It'll take a bit of wrangling. She still thinks I'm on her side," Bucky said, pausing for a moment as if to think. "Tomorrow morning. At the Institute."  
"Not there man, it's too obvious. There's a pagoda in the Dubna park. 0700."  
"Done."  
"What about the other one? The archer?"  
"Too much trouble. I'll probably have to put him down."  
"Shame. I could send in backup..."  
"And alert them to what's going on? No way."  
"It's a shame to waste his marksmanship."  
Bucky was getting nervous. "Look, you want the Widow or not?"  
"Hey, settle down, man. I just think they'd be better as a package deal. She's got no leverage points, otherwise. You won't count anymore. Not after you betray her."  
Bucky paused again. "I'll see what I can do, but there's no promises."  
"Very well. 0700 tomorrow."  
The contact hung up. Bucky replaced the handset slowly. Well, that was that done now. He walked back to the apartment block slowly, thinking. He'd have to be certain in his actions in the morning. They'd smell the rat otherwise. He climbed the stairs to the apartment and knocked on the door to let the others know he was back.  
***

Natasha made sure her things in order before moving to settle on the couch with her new Bites. She needed to relax and be sure that she was in the right state of mind if she was going to go through with this. If they detected anything off in her, this plan wouldn't work. She toyed with them, making sure they were in proper working order. "Make sure your disguise is better than the one you came up with in Bucharest," she said lightly, teasing him playfully.

Clint grinned. "Hey, my playboy act is much better now. I've spent too much time around Tony to ever make those mistakes again." Bucharest had been an abysmal stuff up. He'd tried too hard with his cover, and they'd seen straight through it, but only let him know when he was head deep in trouble with no way out of there. "I'll just go casual. Or Stupid American Tourist? Did you notice any hair dye in the bathroom?""I haven't checked. Coulson usually leaves some just in case," she commented. Curiously, she set her Bites down on the coffee table to go to the bathroom to check to the cabinets. Sure enough, there was a box of dark hair dye, a sort of blackish brown color. She waved in the air when she returned. "Ready to go brunette?" she teased.

Clint looked at the Bites until she came back to the room. He couldn't see a way to sen them in with her. It'd be too dangerous. He looked up as she came back, wiggling the box of hair due at him and grinning evilly. He countered her teasing with, "Anything to keep you safe."

Her expression softened as she passed him the box. It was a pity that she'd have to go in helpless and unarmed, but she still wanted to make sure her things worked. Natasha knew she'd need them at some point. "It will wash out much easier than the blonde did in my hair," she told him. 

He took the box off her and looked at the picture on the front. "If my hair comes out looking like that, it'll give Thor's a run for his money."

"Let's not get carried away here," she said dryly. Her fingers brushed against his, linger, before she pulled away to return to her perch on the couch.

Clint grinned at her before disappearing into the bathroom to dye his hair. It was always initially a shock to see the color change from his normal sandy blonde to any other colour, but at least the black-brown wasn't the most outrageous change he'd done. That had been when he went ginger for a mission into Belfast.  
He returned to the lounge room about half an hour later. "What d'you think?"

 

Natasha collected her thoughts on the couch while Clint went to dye his hair. She was trying to mentally prepare herself for what she was getting herself into. When he returned, it took a few beats for her to process the change. She blinked at him, observing the new color. "I like it," she decided. She'd always prefer his natural hair color, but the change wasn't bad at all.

"You ok?" he asked, sitting next to her on the couch. "You've got your thinking face on."

She quietly leaned against Clint. "Big mission," she murmured to him. With a soft laugh, she shook her head. "I'm ready to go home."

Clint nodded. "I know the feeling. Coulson owes us at least a month off after this one." He put his arm around her shoulders. 

Natasha rested her head against his shoulder. "A month off would be nice. Maybe we can take a vacation," she mused thoughtfully.

 

"I wouldn't know what to do with a vacation," he said. "That time off after New York was remarkably dull. Except for your company," he added. He looked thoughtfully off into the distance for a moment. Once Barnes had made contact, everything would move quickly, and he mightn't have another chance to talk to her. If it had been him going in with her, then things would be different, but she and Barnes might go in and never come out again as Natasha and James and they'd already proven that they'd use his skills if the opportunity arose. "Tasha, if... if this all goes pear shaped..." Clint really didn't know how to say what he wanted to. "I'll come in after you, but just in case... I want you to hang onto this." He slid the ring box out of his pocket and handed it to her, unopened.

"Maybe something with just you and I. A tropical island with some good alcohol. I think it would be a lovely time," she decided. Natasha had a teasing smile on her face. His expression grew serious, and she turned to him when he began talking again. There was that tone of gravity there, and just as she was about to reassure him that it would be okay, he was pulling out a velvet box and presenting it to her. She stared at it unabashed. "Clint," she said slowly, fingers hovering in the air to take it. "What is that?"

"It's for you. Just take it," he said. "In case something goes wrong, I want you to have something to remember me by."

"Clint," she said with a shake of her head. Her fingers wrapped around the box, clutching it tight. "Don't talk like that. We're going to make it out of this, and when we do, you're going to explain this to me, preferably somewhere on a white sand beach with a good bottle of vodka."

Clint grinned, though the expression didn't reach his eyes. "I'll hold you to that," he said. " The -good- bottle of vodka, I mean." He joked. 

She could see the worry and uncertainty on his face. Natasha wanted to soothe him, but she knew nothing would be better until they were done with this mission and they were safe and sound. Slowly, she opened the ring box to look at the ring curiously. It matched the symbol she wore, and it was beautiful. It was fitting for her, and she knew without even trying it on that it would fit. She wanted so badly to ask for an explanation to go with it, but instead, she closed the box. "Don't think I'm going to forget about this, Barton," she warned him good-naturedly.

His smile widened slightly as he watched the expression on her face while she opened the box. He could tell she liked it. "That's part of the point of giving it to you now. So you won't forget. Barnes told me you and him used things to fixate on to remember who you were. He found that in my bag and brought it along on the rescue. That's what kept me me for most of that last fight."

There was a look of awe on her face when she gazed at the ring he designed for her, and she knew that he had it custom made specifically for her. Natasha held the ring box close to her and smiled softly at him. His admission, the fact that he used this to remember her, touched her deeply. "I love you," she said, telling him for the first time since they'd been deployed.

Clint grinned at her words and kissed her. "I love you, too."

She kissed him softly, and the kiss soon turned more heated and desperate on her part. It was like Natasha was trying to commit him to memory just in case they got torn away from one another.

Clint responded to her kiss. As he broke away, he rested his head on her forehead. "Tash, if you're going to keep kissing me like that, we're goig to have to hope the bedroom door has a lock on it to spare Barnes' embarrassment," Clint muttered, all to aware of his body's reaction to her desperate kiss. 

Her breathing was ragged, and she was so tempted to just throw caution to the wind. Tomorrow, they would be beginning their mission, and right now, she just wanted to enjoy this moment with him. "Kiss me," she urged him huskily, fingers curling into the front of his shirt to keep him close.

Clint could feel his pulse quickening as she grabbed his shirt and commanded him to kiss her. He let her pull him in and obliged her with a kiss. 

She released a soft sigh when he obliged her. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him close. Natasha scooted close to him and pressed herself against his chest. Lightly, she nipped his lower lip.

"Tash..." Clint groaned as she pressed herself into him and nibbled his lip. She seemed to know every one of his buttons and how to push them. 

She knew in the back of her mind that Bucky could be back at any minute, but she needed this. She needed Clint. Natasha was half in his lap, straddling him. "Clint," she murmured to him hungrily.

Clint could feel his thoughts focussing on Natasha and what she was doing. He knew they should at least move to the bedroom if they were going to get carried away, but, he also didn't want to move her. 

Natasha tugged at him, pulling him up with her. Somehow the ring was still clutched tightly in her free hand, and she had the small notion of what he might be offering with it. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, didn't want to get her hopes up. She didn't even realized she had hopes. All she knew was that she wanted him.

As Clint stood up with her, he bent slightly and picked her up. He carried her towards the bedroom, but before they had reached it, there was a knock on the door, signaling signaling Bucky's return. Clint growled in frustration. 

Natasha let out a groan as well. She was wrapped up in Clint, and her body was raring to go for him. With Bucky's return, she knew she had to tamper that all down. Taking several deep breaths to calm herself, she slowly peeled herself off of Clint. Her hair was a little mussed, and there was a rosy blush in her cheeks from their actions. Giving him one last, lingering kiss, she went to open the door.

Clint savored the kiss before trying to straigten his hair and clothes before Natasha let Barnes back in.


	19. Chapter 19

Bucky looked at Natasha as she opened the door and raised an eyebrow at her slightly disheveled appearance. "Want me to give you two more time alone?" he asked, trying to make it sound like he was teasing, but being a little unhappy. 

The answer yes was on her tongue, but she knew better than to flaunt it like this. Natasha silently shook her head and closed the door behind him. Instead, she went straight to business to clear her lust driven mind. "Did you make contact?"

Bucky nodded. "Tomorrow morning. Early," he said. "They don't trust my ability to keep you contained." He looked between Clint and Natasha and noticed Natasha's hand clutching something small and black in one hand. He made eye contact with Barton and raised an eyebrow, guessing what it was. 

She hadn't realized she was still holding the ring box tightly in her hand. It unconsciously kept her grounded, gave her reason to fight even harder to defeat HYDRA. She nodded at Bucky, thoughtlessly rubbing her thumb along the velvet of the box. "Do you think they believe you?"

"Seemed that way. They want both of you. Had to talk fast that I didn't think I'd be able to get both of you," Bucky replied. He was speaking in a very matter of fact way. Maybe being angry towards them both in the morning wouldn't be as difficult as he originally thought.   
Clint gave Bucky a lopsided grin and shrugged in response to the questioning expression he assumed was to do with the ring box.

"And you're taking me to the Dubna Institute?" she continued as she moved to perch back on the couch. As she reached for her Bites, she realized that she was still clutching the ring box like it was a lifeline, and she discreetly slid it into the pocket of her light jacket.

"I'm guessing that'll be the final location. We're meeting them in a park in Dubna," he replied.  
"That'll make it easier to keep an eye on you in the beginning," Clint said. "How're you..." He looked at Tash where she was on the couch. "How're you going to take her in? They're unlikely to believe she wouldn't put up a fight."  
Bucky watched her fiddle with the Bites. He wasn't sure, and hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. "What do you think, Nat?"

The idea came to her as she toyed with her Bites. "You'll have to rough me up. Make it look like we actually fought. They'll want to see some form of injury," she said matter of factly. "Then you'll say you used my own Bites against me."

"Used your Bites against you?" Bucky asked. "Didn't think you let anyone else touch them."

"If I think you wouldn't betray me, I would have them off and within easy access to you. It's poetic justice in a way. HYDRA will eat it up," she explained to him with a wry smile.

Bucky nodded thoughtfully. "We'll need a trouble signal, too," he said.   
"I'll be closer than you think," Clint said. "I'll take out one of the goons and borrow their uniform. It's a pity it's not actually an AIM base. Those rad-suits make it so easy to infiltrate."

"What? Green isn't your color?" she said dryly. Natasha set her Bites aside as they continued laying out their plan. HYDRA wouldn't expect to have Clint infiltrating them if they thought he was dead. "Bucky, once they separate us, they'll no doubt bring me in for re-conditioning. I got lucky last time escaping, but we need some sort of plan to circumvent that."

"And a backup plan to get you out of there if we can't prevent it," Clint said.   
Bucky nodded. "Reckon you can infiltrate the medical team, Barton?"  
Clint nodded. It'd make sense to have him in the room if he could get there, both to remind Tash of who she was, and to get her out of there. 

"Okay, good. We have a plan in place for when I go in. They won't realize they have a mole," Natasha said in approval. She felt a little more at ease to know that Clint would be much closer to her when she went in.

"So long as I don't accidentally choose someone who's meant to know lots of details about the procedure, anyway," Clint said. "How're we going to destroy the base?"

"We want to flood it, right? We'll need some high grade explosives to set mount to the weak point of the base," she offered up helpfully.

"And a way to detonate after we're outside," Clint said. "I'd rather not drown in a HYDRA base."   
Bucky nodded. "Radio detonation, then. Because timer detonation has too much potential to go wrong." He looked at Natasha. That was the reason the KGB and Red Room had given him when he and Natasha had been separated. He'd never liked using timer detonations after that.

 

"Detonate remotely once we've all confirmed that we're out of the base. If all goes according to plan, we'll flood HYDRA," Natasha replied evenly. When Bucky looked to her, she shared his expression, grim and almost regretful. Swallowing hard, she continued, "Bucky, if you can, extract whatever intel you can access while they try to recondition me. It will give us insight to their plans."

Clint grinned evilly. "Does that mean they'll be hydrated?" he asked.  
"I'll find out what I can." Bucky groaned at the joke. "You've been waiting to use that one since we decided to flood the base, haven't you?"

 

Natasha sighed and shook her head at Clint's terrible joke, but she gave a slight smile anyway. It was comforting to have some humor injected into the serious situation every now and again. "Puns aside, we need to get our hands on some explosives and figure out how we're bringing it in."

"Phil should be able to get us the explosives. If the cover's any good, we should just be able to carry it in," Clint suggested.

"It will be on you to carry it in when you take out a HYDRA goon, Clint. They will definitely search Bucky when he brings me in," she pointed out.

Clint nodded. It was a fair point. "I'll go and call Phil. See what he can get to us."  
"It'll need to be something easy to set. You won't have much time if you're going to try and sneak onto the medical team," Bucky said.   
Clint stood up and went into the next room to make the call.   
Bucky took his seat next to Natasha. He picked up one of her Bites and examined it. "Are you sure about this?"

Natasha gave Clint a nod and looked to Bucky when he joined her on the couch. She wasn't fond of their plan, but it was a necessity. "As sure as I'll ever be. We're walking back into the hornet's nest," she grimaced.

Bucky nodded. He put the Bite onto his wrist, though the bracelet didn't quite fit around his arm. He found the switch that turned it on and charged it up. They really were a very nice piece of kit, though he missed her older pairs. These were sufficiently stealthy, but he'd quite liked the gold bracers he'd known her to have when she still worked for the Red Room. "Have you had them used on you before?" he asked, making a fist with his hand, so the impact point of the Bites lined up with his knuckles.

Her Bites lit up a cool blue once he activate them. They were black and more streamlined than her gold ones had been. She watched him get use to it and practice wielding them. "Of course," she answered dismissively. "It's good to know what kind of pain I'm inflicting on others, or so the Red Room taught me."

Clint returned from making the call. "I swear Phil has a double," he said. "It's 5am in New York, and he answers the phone like it was the middle of the day." He noticed Bucky sitting next to Natasha with one of the Bites on, and chose to sit on the arm chair. "He doesn't like the plan, but admits its a good one, if we can pull it off. His exact words were 'It's not the stupidest idea you've come up with, but it's up there'. He's sending the kit in - they'll drop it off in the car before the morning."   
Bucky nodded.

A smile, genuine and soft curved on her features, at Clint's grousing. It certainly sounded like the unflappable Coulson. He was always there to attend to their needs, no matter the hour. He was an excellent handler, hands down better than any she'd ever had in the past. The senior agent cared about them whether he liked to admit it or not.She was glad that they'd be able to get the explosives, and it worked with the time frame they were working on. "Bucky, you should rough me up a little to make things more convincing," she said quietly.

Bucky gave a resigned nod, and then shook his head. "But not until later. I don't think they'll believe I managed to hold you overnight. Either that, or they'll think you've gone soft. You do have a reputation to maintain."

"A few hours before we leave them to let the bruising and swelling set in," she agreed. She knew that Bucky wasn't looking forward to hurting her, but like everything else about this op, it was necessary.

Bucky sighed and powered the Bite down. He was beginning to wonder whether he could pull off actin as Winter Soldier without the conditioning. It went against who he thought he was.   
"You could always just spar," Clint said. "If you held back, Tash."

She glanced to Clint then looked back to Bucky. It would be decidedly easier, but she was concerned that Bucky would be afraid to hurt her like he should. "You can't hold back on me, Bucky," she warned him.

"It's been a while. I might not need to," he said with a grin. It was a good suggestion on Barton's part. He would feel more comfortable with a sparring session and it would look more authentic if he had injuries, too.

Clint stood and wandered to the kitchen. He needed a drink. He was happy to find someone had stocked his favourite beer. He pulled one out for himself, and grabbed another for Bucky. "Do you want one, Tash?" he asked.   
Clint just wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon just enjoying their company, though he knew they'd all be thinking about the plans for the mission.

"I'll pass," she said easily. Natasha didn't really care for beer most of the time. She didn't mind it if it was all she had to drink, but right now, she was craving a pull of good Russian vodka. Her thoughts wandered to the ring box that sat in her pocket, and she reached in to grip it lightly. She gave Bucky a smirk at his teasing. "I've grown in the past ten years. I've bettered my skills."

Clint knew her preferences, and kept digging in the fridge. He didn't find any vodka in the fridge, but someone had left several small bottles in the door of the freezer. He grinned and poured one into a glass for her. He juggled all three drinks to the couch and handed them out.   
Bucky smiled and accepted the beer. It was a good idea to relax for the rest of the afternoon.

Natasha grinned up at Clint when he brought her vodka without her even asking. He knew her so well. She took a sip of the strong, smooth liquor and sighed. It was exactly what she needed to help take the edge off. Raising her glass, she toasted, "Salud."

Clint and Bucky raised their beers in response and echoed the toast. After they had all drunk, Clint added, "May HYDRA not see us coming, and may we all be ourselves tomorrow night."

Natasha smiled wryly. She hoped all would turn out well, but all they could do was their best and hope that luck was on their side. She nursed her vodka, pensive.

"What're you thinking, Tash?" Clint asked. 

"I hope this all goes according to plan," she answered with a dry smile. Natasha downed the rest of her vodka, enjoying the burn. "I'd very much like some down time after this."

Clint nodded. "Me too."   
Bucky looked thoughtful. He didn't know what he wanted to do after this. He wasn't really sure where he wanted to be. He assumed SHIELD had a reason for wanting him brought in, rather than killed, and seeing his name on the directive for the mission suggested that Coulson, at least, considered Nat's and Barton's judgement to be sound, but returning with them to SHIELD, would mean seeing Steve again, and it had been so long... He took a swig of his beer and tried to clear his mind.

Things would prove to be complicated once the mission was done with. There were things that still needed to be resolved between her and Bucky, and then there was the question for Clint regarding the ring box. Setting her glass down, she leaned back in her seat and stifled a yawn. They had a busy day tomorrow. "We should decide who's taking watch for the evening," she said.

"I'll take last," Clint offered. He drained the last of his beer, stretched and yawned. He was beginning to feel the effort of the last few days of work. "Just remember to wake me before you go."

"I'll go ahead and take first watch," Natasha decided, making herself comfortable on the couch. She could see the weariness in the men's faces and decided that sleep would be best for them. "Go get some sleep, both of you."

Bucky and Clint could both hear that she didn't want to hear any arguments from them. They stood up and went to get some sleep. Clint didn't notice when he nodded off, but his sleep was far from restful. He kept having nightmares of what would happen if any of their plans went awry.   
Bucky's rest was just as bad. He woke himself in time for his turn at watch, and wandered out into the lounge area to find Natasha.

Natasha spent her watch brooding. She knew it was going to be difficult getting any sleep with what was to come. She was trying to mentally prepare herself. When Bucky wandered in, she offered him a tired smile. "We should probably spar now," she reminded him gently.

Bucky nodded and started to stretch, using the time to wake himself up. When he was ready, he nodded to her. "You ready?"

She stood up, body humming with a surge of adrenaline. Natasha took on a defensive posture. "Let's see what you got, Soldier."

Bucky stepped in and threw a feinting punch with his left hand to draw her in, aiming to attracting her into his range to put her into a headlock.

Natasha dodged the punch and played into his hands, but not before serving a sharp kick to his shin. She knew that she was supposed to let him have the upper hand, so she held back a little.

Bucky winced at the kick, but grabbed her around the neck with his left arm, but he didn't put the lock on properly.

Her elbow jabbed into his solar plexus before she brought the back of her fist into his face. Natasha let out a snarl and stomped on his in step.

He stumbled back slightly at her attacks. She was serious then, about not holding back. He blocked her next punch and returned the attack with a punch to the lower ribs switching quickly to throw an elbow to her face.

She had Bucky playing serious now. Natasha let out a grunt as he struck her. She winced a little, stumbling a bit.

He kept attacking as she stumbled, sweeping her left foot out from under her while she was off balance.

Natasha's back landed hard against the floor, knocking the window out of there. She stayed there, allowing him to approach her.

"Get up," Bucky growled as he walked towards her.

Natasha twirled her legs, hooking them behind his knees to bring her down with him. Once she had him on the ground, she straddled him and had her wrist against his throat.

Bucky broke his fall as he landed, and grabbed her wrist into a lock, twisting it out to the side. He twisted underneath her, rolling over and pinning her under him. 

She let out a grunt of pain when he twisted her wrist, and the moment he had her pinned, she was moving once more. Natasha headbutted him, and it hurt her just as badly.

Bucky reeled slightly as she head butted him, but stayed on top of her. Though it made him feel bad, he slapped her cheek.

The slap elicited a harsh bark of laugher out of her. "Is that what you've been reduced to, Soldier? Slapping?"

Bucky frowned and growled at her laughter. He knew he had to open up and not hold back, but it was hard. He'd just got her back and to have to... 

"You're weak, Barnes," she continued to egg him. Natasha needed him to unleash his fury and strength on her.

Bucky grabbed the front of her jumpsuit and pulled her to her feet. Once they were standing, he shoved her backwards and followed up with a rapid series of punches. Her teasing reminded him of times in the Red Room before he'd met her, when he'd been relearning to fight. They hadn't believed in nice encouragement. 

Natasha only blocked half of punches, taking the hits. Her lip split, and she felt blood filled her mouth. Quickly, she retaliated and hit him with a flurry of punches and a kick to his chest.

Bucky stumbled back as she retaliated. He sensed she was pulling her punches, but even that still hurt. He reset himself and tackled her. 

They tumbled on the floor together, and she had the breath knocked out of her once more. Natasha let out a grunt of pain when her head bang painfully against the floor.

While she was winded, Bucky rolled her over so she was face-down into the floor and twisted her arm up behind her back, holding her still with his cybernetic arm. 

With his cybernetic arm and her lack of weapons, Natasha had no choice but to allow him to take her into submission. Her voice was muffled against the floor. "You have a captive, Soldier," she said.

Bucky released her and stood up. Without speaking, he offered her a hand to pull her to her feet.

She was already beginning to swell and bleed a little, and she looked like she put up a fight against him. Natasha knew better than to tend to it. She needed to look like she'd been held captive. "I'll see you in their morning, Bucky," she murmured.

Bucky looked at her apologetically. He hadn't seen her so beaten up since ... he couldn't recall when. And he'd been the one to do it. "Sorry, Nat," he said.

Natasha gave him a smile, bloody and reassuring. "You're fine. It's just part of the job."

"I know. Doesn't mean I like it," he replied. "My turn for watch then, I guess. Go and get some sleep." He smiled slightly, her smile was reassuring. They'd come up with this plan, and no matter how stupid he and Barton thought the idea was, Natalia had agreed to it. They had to see it through.

She gave him a nod, a little stiff from the ache beginning to set in. Natasha went to the bedroom, and this time she didn't have any qualms whatsoever about slipping into bed with Clint. If things went wrong, she wanted to have a good memory to cling to. Gingerly, she curled up against his sleeping form. 

Clint stirred as she crawled in next to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and could feel her heart beating swiftly. "You and Barnes sparred already?" he murmured.

"Yes," she answered quietly in confirmation. Natasha knew she was going to feel awful in the morning, but it would only help with their cover.

Clint was torn between wanting to go out and confront Barnes for beating up on Tash, knowing that she'd hate it if he did, and knowing that it was an important part of their cover - just like his own rumored death. He knew Natasha wouldn't have let any truly dangerous blows land; the whole point of the exercise was to colour her up a bit, and the dangerous hits tended not to leave bruises. Instead, he hugged her lightly and settled back to sleep.

Bucky settled onto the couch for his own watch, letting his heart rate return to normal, and rubbing the few spots he knew would bruise in an hour or so. He mentally prepared himself for being what HYDRA would expect of a mercenary Winter Soldier, his initial performance would be what would sell it to the contact, and get them their way into the base. 

When the time came to wake Barton for his turn at watch, Bucky walked into the bedroom. When he saw Barton and Nat curled up next to one another he backed out of the room and closed the door. Barton needed his rest after the double watch shift the night before, and Bucky couldn't bring himself to wake Natalia again. Even in the dim light, he could see a few of her bruises. It certainly looked like it would be convincing that he'd caught her by surprise and managed to capture her. 

He returned to his seat on the couch, thinking. It used to be his job, no privilege, to comfort her like that after a hard mission. He couldn't begrudge that she and Barton had a definite chemistry, but he could also not completely banish the feeling of jealousy. What would he be going to if he returned with them to SHIELD? Was it even worth going back? 

He spent the last hour of his watch looking at the clock, counting down to the 5am mark when they would all need to be up and getting ready. When it finally struck, he went back into the bedroom and gently shook the pair of them awake.


	20. Chapter 20

Natasha curled up in Clint's arms and slept as peacefully as she could given what was to come in the morning. When Bucky roused the both of them, the first thing she noticed was how stiff and sore her body was. Her lip ached where it was split, and she could feel dried blood around her mouth. She gingerly got up and took several deep breaths to ready herself. It was a big day, and she couldn't allow for any mistakes.

Clint woke in a rush, realizing from the amount of light in re room that he had overslept. He was about to tell Bucky off for not waking him, when he noticed Natasha's injuries fully. He could tell she was stiff and sore by the way she was holding herself. He wanted to hug her and take her somewhere to tend her wounds, as she'd done so often for him but he knew that wasn't the point.   
"You ok, Tash?" he asked. 

"I'm fine," she told him calmly as she tried to keep the grimace off her face. Natasha would be fine, she knew, and these injuries were the least of her worries right now. They were going into the hornets' nest, and it wasn't going to be pleasant. To reassure Clint, she reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze before she moved tos tand.

Clint nodded and squeezed her hand in return. He stood up and wandered into the bathroom. He needed to make himself less recognizable. He emerged half an hour later with slightly sunken eyes and a scar down his left cheek.   
Bucky wanderered back into the kitchen and set out coffee and breakfast for the three of them.

Natasha moved to the kitchen table and settled herself down into a seat. She looked rough and beaten, and she began putting herself into the mindset of a captive. She sipped quietly at her coffee, giving Bucky a smile of thanks. "You didn't go back to sleep," she said chidingly. 

He shrugged. "Had too much to think about." 

"Are you okay?" she asked him gently.

"Yeah. I have to be," he said. He poured the coffee into their cups and sat next to her at the table. "Just been trying to figure out who Winter Soldier actually is, and what HYDRA would expect."

She nodded, reaching to lay a comforting hand on his arm. "I trust you," she told him.

"I know," he replied.   
"You know what?" Clint asked as he emerged from the bathroom.   
Bucky looked up as Barton appeared. He was impressed at the disguse. "Nice scar," he said, avoiding Clint's question.   
Clint grinned. "Successfully disguised?" Clint picked up the third coffee and sat on the kitchen bench. 

"The dark hair and scar make a difference," Natasha noted as she appreciated his handiwork. Her hand pulled away from Bucky as she began to pick at her breakfast. She knew that she needed to eat, but she hardly had any appetite.

"You need to eat, Tash," Clint said. He knew how she felt - he want that hungry either, but they didn't know how long it would be until their next meal was, and for Natasha, who was taking the most risks of the the three of them, it was even more important.

Quietly, she did as he asked and made a little bit more of an effort to eat breakfast. He had a point, and she was going to need all the energy she could get. "What time is the rendezvous?" she asked.

"0700," Bucky replied. He sighed. "We'll need to get going soon."   
Clint finished his breakfast and drained his coffee. He stood up. He needed to get there before Natasha and Barnes, and he needed to find a vehicle to get him there. He started to put his mind into mission-mode. "I should be going. Reckon you can get my bow and quiver in? As 'evidence' of my demise?"  
Bucky nodded. "Can only try."

"It will be good evidence. They know Hawkeye wouldn't let his bow go unless you pry it from his hands," Natasha nodded in approval. Natasha was reluctant to see Clint go, and there was a part of her that craved one last kiss before he went. She knew that was inappropriate with Bucky there, so she settled for a meaningful look, a hand slipping into her pocket to grasp the ring box.

Clint caught the look and nodded. He understood her meaning. "Don't do anything I would do," he said as he gathered the parts of his kit he could take with him. "And be careful. I'll see you there." He left the apartment and went in search of transport back to Dubna.  
Bucky finished his breakfast and stood up. As much as he didn't want to, it was time to set their plans rolling. 

She ate as much of her breakfast as she could before she stood up and followed Bucky's lead. It was time for her to be bound and gagged. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"As I'll ever be." Bucky pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his pocket. He'd found them in her kit bag while he was on watch. He mentally set himself into being Winter Soldier. "Turn around."

Her eyes turned to the handcuffs, and she turned around for him. Natasha was compliant and ready for what was to come.

Bucky pulled Natasha's arms roughly behind her back and clipped the handcuffs around her wrists. He'd considered gagging her, but had decide against it. HYDRA knew they were both familiar with each others manipulative capacities. The word play  of the Black Widow wouldn't work on him.   
He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the front door, pausing only to pick the kit bag and Barton's quiver from their position near the door. Luckily there was no-one in the corridor of the apartment block, and he dragged her down the stairs to the car park. 

She moved easily with him, staying silent. Natasha wanted to comfort him to let him know that it was okay, and that she trusted him. She knew better than to let the tension between them dissipate. It was better to let it carry on to let it mount. It would make it more believable to HYDRA. 

Bucky opened the front passenger door of the car SHIELD had provided, and shoved her into the seat. He'd considered her known activities carefully when he'd thought about how to play this. She'd gained the upper hand in captive situations because the captors had put her in the boot or sitting behind them where they couldn't see her.  
He stashed the kit bag on the back seat, pausing briefly to pull out one of her Bites and put it on his right hand, before getting into the drivers seat and pulling out of the carpark and onto the highway headed for Dubna. 

Clint found a motorbike stashed in s corner of the apartment block and hot-wired it in a matter of moments. He reached Dubna half an hour later - it was a very good bike - and hunted around he town for the rendezvous point. It didn't take long. HYDRA had already staked the place out and they hadn't been subtle about it. It took even less time to find a lonely goon patrolling the perimeter, knock him out and change into the green uniform of a HYDRA goon. He made his way towards the pagoda, wanting to be close when Natasha and Barnes arrived. 

Bucky parked near the pagoda and got out of the car. HYDRA had clearly arrived early and set up a perimeter. Now was the time to play up the tension that had been sitting between them for the trip up from Moscow.   
He took the kit bag and quiver out of the back seat before opening the passenger door and dragging Natasha out of the car. He kept a grip on her with his cybernetic arm and pushed and pulled her into the pagoda, where the contact was waiting.   
"I am impressed, Winter Soldier. I must admit I did not expect you to succeed," an accented voice spoke in Russian to the pair of them. Bucky recognized the voice instantly as belonging to Guskov.  "So, Black Widow, how did Winter Soldier capture you?"

Natasha stumbled along as Bucky dragged her, and she made a show of defiantly struggling against him. It was futile against his cybernetic arm, but it was worth it all the same. She gave a dark glare at Guskov when he greeted them. Her gaze flashed angrily. "I should've chosen the people I trust better," she spat out as she turned her outraged glare to Bucky.

Guskov laughed. "You should know not to trust anyone."

"You hear that, Soldier?" Natasha said flatly to Bucky. "HYDRA will sooner sell you down the river than take you in."

"Shut up," Bucky replied. He activated the bite and punched her just below her ribs.   
Guskov smiled. Perhaps Barnes was being true to his offer. 

She clenched her jaw, gritting her teeth in pain, when she felt the shock of her bite rocket through her body. She let out a soft groan but defiantly glared up at the both of them.

"I did not think you would have it in you," Guskov said. "And you wish to work for HYDRA freely now?"  
Bucky nodded. "Of my own free will, yes," he replied.   
Guskov didn't miss the allusion to the mind control. He nodded. "Pity you could not bring the Archer in as well. Hawkeye and Black Widow working together for HYDRA would have been something to see."  
"He was too much trouble," Barnes replied. "I had to put him down." He threw the quiver to Guskov as his proof. Guskov looked at it for a moment before passing it off to a nearby henchman, who took it, seemingly fighting a grin at being handed the quiver.   
"Such a shame that you lost your partner, Widow," Guskov said. He stepped forward and put one hand against her cheek. "Barnes really did quite the number on you, didn't he?"

Natasha jerked away at his touch, snarling. She attempted to bite fiercely at his hand for retribution. "Touch me and I'll make sure I take care of you too," she promised him with cold confidence.

Clint could only just control his expression as he was unknowingly just handed his quiver. Really, these HYDRA henchmen were gullible. He didn't like watching Guskov gloat over Natasha, but he couldn't blow their cover. It was working entirely too well. 

Guskov looked at her condescendingly. "Please, my dear Natalia, you're not in any position to threaten anything." He looked curiously at Bucky. "You didn't think to gag her?"   
"I did, but it doesn't stop her trying to talk. Her wiles don't affect me," Bucky replied. "And her voice is more pleasant to listen to than muffled words. You're forgetting I know her better than you could ever hope to."   
Guskov looked around to see which of his goons was the closest and strongest. The one he'd handed the quiver to looked promising. He beckoned him forward. "Take her to the van, and make sure she's secure. If she escapes, its on you. Barnes, you'll follow us to the base."   
Clint stepped forward and grabbed Natasha's arm to drag her off to HYDRA's van.

The moment one of the HYDRA goons touched her, she began struggling in earnest. Natasha had to make it look as though she wasn't going down come hell or high water. One goon held her firmly, and as she moved to bite, she was caught by surprise when another backhanded her already aching face. She spat out blood and glared darkly at all of them. "Traitors get a special level all to themselves, Soldier," she hissed as she was unceremoniously dragged to the van. One of the goons gagged her to keep her from talking anymore.

Clint almost let go of her as she moved to bite the hand, but was saved from the embarassment when one of the other goons moved in to help restrain the struggling woman. He helped frogmarch her off to the van, making a mental note of the goon who had backhanded her; he'd get his revenge when the time came.

"Widow, you were the first one to betray us," Bucky retorted, standing stoically as the HYDRA goons dragged her away. "If anything, I'm the hero for bringing you home." He picked up the kit bag again and returned to his car to follow the HYDRA van to the base.

She was sandwiched between two goons in the van, and they made sure she was properly restrained and gagged. Her expression was stoic, but her gaze was fiery and angry. Natasha gave a grunt of pain when one goon elbowed her ribs for good measure. They reached the Institute, and she had to mentally prepare herself for going back in. She couldn't let them brainwash her again. They had to be quick and fast to wreak havoc and flood the place.

Bucky followed the van to the base. It wasn't a long drive around to an underground car park, and from there they entered the base. Guskov got out of the front of the van and watched as Bucky climbed out and took the bag with him, but was distracted when the Black Widow was dragged out of the back of the van. He was looking forward to getting his hands on her mind again. She was fun to program.   
"Take her to the conditioning room," he said. "Do you want to watch, Barnes?"   
Bucky shook his head. Even as Winter Soldier, he wouldn't want to watch someone else be brainwashed, least of all Natalia. "No thanks."

 

The goons followed their orders and began dragging her to the conditioning room. Natasha began struggling in earnest, jerking against them fiercely. She was giving them a hard time. One of the goons had enough of her, and he gave her a few harsh punches. She went limp in their grip, feigning unconsciousness to get the element of surprise back on her side.

Clint found it even harder to keep the cover going when the same goon kept hitting her. As she went limp he almost decked the guy. Two of the goons picked her up by her legs and shoulders and began to carry her. Clint followed along behind the pair. Barnes could set the charges. He was going to stay with Tash. 

Natasha continued to feign unconsciousness even as they carried her to the conditioning room. She hoped that Bucky would do his job while she bought him some time. She could only spend so long with this ruse before she was forced to act. They draped her into the chair in the conditioning room and began the process of strapping her in.

Clint made sure he was the one to strap down her right arm, and gave her a bit of wriggle room, just in case she was given any time alone. One of the other goons - the one who had been hitting her - noticed the bump in her pocket and wriggled the ring box out of it. He opened it an laughed.   
"-The Black Widow had a boyfriend?-" he said, mockingly in German. "-Too bad he's dead, and the other one will likely follow.-"

Immediately, Natasha noticed the slight slack in her right restraint, and she knew that Clint had infiltrated and done his job. It comforted her to know that he was so close in case things went wrong. It took all the training she had not to tense up when they took her ring. She planned on getting that back along with raining retribution down on these HYDRA idiots.

Clint watched the goon take the ring out of her pocket and noted where the guy placed it. Before he could walk over and surreptitiously pick it up, Guskov walked into the room.   
"Except for you and you," he pointed to Clint and the goon who had been beating on Natasha, "All of you, out," he ordered.

Natasha heard Guskov come into the room, ordering most of the goons out. She was worried Clint was sent away as well, and she prepared herself for taking this on alone. She stayed limp and pliant to see what his next move would be.

Guskov stepped up to the chair and attempted to bring Natasha around by patting her cheek. "Wake up, Natalia," he said.

Natasha feigned slowly regaining consciousness. She groaned softly and opened her eyes. Blinking blearily, she gave him a dark glare.

Guskov smiled as she came around. "Welcome back to the land of the living," he said. He stepped back from the chair, and began to organize some of the objects on the table. "Now, unfortunately, my expertise really does lie at the other end of this process, but since you've taken out our preferred operator, I'm the only one left who really understands the process."   
He saw that the ring box had been added to the objects on the table, and picked it up, frowning slightly. "What is this?"

The glare of hatred and anger didn't have to be made up. She was glaring daggers as he picked up the ring box. "None of your business," she snarled at him.

Guskov raised an eyebrow at her reaction. He hadn't expected her to reply. "Something special to you, then?" he asked.   
Clint glared at Guskov, thankful that the goggles of the HYDRA uniform his his expression. The sooner they could get out of here, the better, but they had to give Bucky enough time to set the charges.   
Guskov placed the ring box back down on he table. "You will tell me its story later, anyway," he said flippantly.

"When I kill you, Guskov, I'm going to make sure it is very painful," she promised him, a streak of the old Black Widow shining through her in her anger.

"I would expect nothing less, Natalia," Guskov replied. "Now, this is what's going to happen. You will be sent back to SHIELD, so you needn't worry about that, and you'll mostly be yourself." He sat on a wheeled stool and scooted it in front of her. "It is a pity Barnes had to put Hawkeye down. It would have been useful to have a backup plan."

Guskov was giving her everything she needed out of him. She decide to coax him for more. "What do you want from SHIELD?" she asked with a hiss.

"Nothing from SHIELD directly, but having a mole in their ranks will be useful. Our plans relate to someone they found just before the events in New York."

"Relate to someone?" she raised a brow painfully above a swollen eye.

"Yes. We were pleased SHIELD though to send you and Hawkeye in when reports of Barnes' reappearance reached them. I was worried for a time they would send Captain America in, and all our plans would be spoiled."

"You're giving up your plans so easily. Confident that you'll convert me?" she snorted.

"Confident? You do not think I will?" Guskov asked. He stood up from the stool and pushed it across the room towards Clint. He watched it skid across the room, and noticed a strange expression on what was visible of the henchman's face. He brushed the thought aside for now, but it was something to keep in mind.   
Clint noticed Guskov staring at him and carefully smoothed the frown off his face. He needed to keep his mind on the game.   
Guskov walked over to the table and picked up a syringe of a cloudy liquid. "You won't remember this conversation, anyway, so it doesn't matter."


	21. Chapter 21

Bucky was left alone once they were in the base, which surprised him, but he wasn't going to complain. He assumed Barton had successfully infiltrated the goon ranks, based on the almost grin of the henchman who had been handed the quiver, and also made the assumption that he'd found his way to stay near Nat. It was now up to Bucky to set the charges.   
He wandered around the base, trying to act like he belonged. He didn't know whether it was because he was being watched from afar, or they had really been taken in by their ruse. They hadn't made firm plans as to where they would place the charges, but he figured a few placed in the roof across the base would be sufficient to flood the base.   
He had four charges placed, and was casually scouting a fifth when he heard a voice that sent chills down his spine.   
"Barnes, what are you doing?" the man asked.   
Bucky forced a casual expression onto his face as he turned around. "Bragin. Long time, no see," he said. Bragin had not changed a bit since the last time Bucky remembered having seen him. He was one of the only people who had gone toe-to-toe with him in the sparring ring, and had kept Bucky on the run. The man was built like an outhouse; almost seven foot tall and four feet across the shoulders. The guy was much smarter than he looked too, and he used it to his advantage. Most people assumed because he was big, he was also stupid, and Bucky remembered learning the hard way that this wasn't the case.   
"You didn't answer my question, Barnes," Bragin said.   
"Just having a look around. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"  
"With a SHIELD kit bag?"   
"No-one's told me where to be, and where I can put my kit," Barnes replied. "The SHIELD bag is a souvenir."  
Bragin's eyes narrowed. "You were never one for keeping souvenirs. Except for Black Widow, of course."  
"Yeah, well, I've changed. I'm my own person now."  
Bragin laughed. "I imagine being betrayed by the Widow was unpleasant."   
"Betrayed?" Bucky frowned.   
"With the archer."  
Bucky shrugged. "She moved on. I would have too, given the opportunity."  
Bragin frowned. "I'll be watching you, Barnes. Always."  
"And I'll keep looking over my shoulder for you. Not that you're hard to miss."  
Bragin sneered and walked off. Something was off about this whole situation, and he needed to talk to  Guskov about it. 

Natasha glowered at Guskov as he came closer to her with the vial. It was the beginning of the process, and she knew that it was unacceptable to let him get that close. She could only hope that Bucky was already putting the charges in place. Her eyes flashed to the two goons, and she hoped that whichever one was Clint would know that it was time for action. Once Guskov came to her, she was going to serve him with a harsh headbutt and begin the process of freeing herself. The goon next to Clint was completely oblivious, standing next to his comrade with a smug look.

Clint saw him pick up the vial and was about to react when there was a knock at the door of the room. It was opened by a very large man. Clint restrained himself, as the newcomer would quickly turn the tide of any fight that was started.   
Guskov lowered the syringe and looked over to Bragin. "What?"   
"I need to talk to you. Alone."   
Guskov frowned. "Can it wait?"   
Bragin shook his head. "Not if you want to be successful in this."  
Guskov placed the syringe on the table  and walked out of the room. "If she goes anywhere, you two are responsible," he said before he left the room. He locked the door behind him, just in case.   
Clint reacted as soon as the door was closed, knocking out and disabling the other goon in seconds. The henchman didn't even have a chance to make a sound. Clint lay him on the ground quietly so it wouldn't alert the other two men. 

She was regretful of the interruption because it was the perfect moment to take Guskov out. Natasha didn't often revel in her kills, but she knew she'd happily kill him. Her eyes lighted on Bragin, and she knew that time was running out. They were catching on from the way Bragin looked suspicious. The moment the door closed, the other HYDRA goon knocked out his partner, and she knew instantly that it was Clint. She gave him a look of relief as she began to quickly loosen her restraints. "Plan?" she muttered to him. "I can release myself and get the drop on him once he comes back in the door, or we can wait to see how it plays out."

Clint ran across the room to her and helped to release the straps. "Plan is get out of here and try to avoid that outhouse of a man." Once Natasha's restraints were loosened, he crossed to the table and picked up the ring box and the syringe. He dropped the syringe and crushed it under his boot. "Do you get the feeling Barnes has been made?" he asked as he slung his quiver across his back. 

"Bragin is on to us definitely. There's no reason why he would pull Guskov out during such an important moment," she murmured. Natasha grabbed a scalpel from the surgical equipment since it was the only weapon she had on hand.

"Take the other goon's gun," Clint suggested. He offered the rig box to her again with a smile. "His timing was impeccable. Does the big guy, Bragin?, have -any- weaknesses?" 

Natasha remembered the fallen goon and gladly took his gun. When Clint offered the ring box, she smiled at him and spared a moment for a quick kiss. "Easier to take him down at long range. Get too close and he packs a serious punch."

"I can imagine," Clint said. He smiled at the kiss. "Door's locked." He looked around the room. "Air vent?" He nodded at the corner of the room where a grate his the duct. 

"Of course you'd choose the air vent," she teased. Natasha waited for him to give her the boost for her to reach it.

Clint grinned. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He interlaced his fingers to give her a leg up to the vent. 

He lifted her up to the vent, and she easily worked it free. She tossed it aside and began lifting herself up into it to crawl through the vent. Once she was in, she turned to offer him a hand.

Clint jumped and reached for her hand. He lifted himself into the vent easily, pulling his feet in just as he heard the door open, and Guskov's voice swearing as he realised what had happened.

They moved quickly and stealthily through the air vents. Natasha had a general idea of what the layout was like, but there was a lot of guessing. They needed to reconvene with Bucky soon especially now that HYDRA was on to them.

As they passed over a corridor, Clint saw and heard a squad of henchmen run along beneath them, obviously following orders to find them. "Strange they haven't set the sirens going," Clint muttered. "I hope Barnes is ok," he said. Without the sirens, Bucky wouldn't have had any warning they'd been made. 

"Then let's the sirens off," she suggested as she watched the lackeys run about beneath them. Natasha needed a way to signal to Barnes to get out of there.

Clint grinned. "Wanting a fight? That's not like you," he teased. 

"I bet I can take out more goons than you can," she smirked at him.

"You're on," Clint said. He wriggled the grate out and it dropped to the floor of the corridor. "Ladies first."

Giving him a smug look, she dropped out of the vent and landed on one of the goons. Using her skills, she wrapped her thighs around his neck and smoothly brought him down. She had the scalpel in one hand and the gun in the other and began raining down her wrath.

Clint dropped down after her and joined the attack. He didn't bother to unsheathe his bow - there wasn't time as the goons stopped their scrambling and turned around to attack the two SHIELD agents.   
Unsurprisingly, the skirmish was short. Clint paused to catch his breath and wheezed out, "Twelve." He also took the opportunity to unsheathe his bow and uncap the quiver. 

"Eleven," she said sullenly with a little bit of a pout. Natasha held the scalpel tight and gave it a flick to get the blood off. The hall was empty, but she knew it was just a matter of time before more of HYDRA's goons came after them.

***  
Bucky watched Bragin walk off and frowned. He was acting like he suspected something, and Bucky didn't like it. He slung the bag off his shoulder and looked at its contents. there were six charges left, but with Bragin on the lookout, it was probably best not to try and place any more of them. He took the Bites and the remote detonator out of the bag and shoved them into his pocket. He put the bag in a nearby cupboard and began to make his way towards the exit. He had almost reached the lift into the institute when he heard a large group of footsteps running towards him from both directions. He was instantly on guard; it was a change in what had been routine, and it put him on edge.   
"BARNES!"   
Bucky started running as soon as he heard Bragin's voice. All he needed to do was get into the lift and up the shaft, the same way they'd escaped before and he could have a chance. The lift doors were closed, and wouldn't budge, even when he tried to lever it open with his cybernetic arm. By the time he'd tested it fully, Bragin and all the henchmen had caught up to him.   
"Hands on the wall, Barnes," Bragin hissed.   
Bucky turned around to face the man just to spite him. "Or what?"   
Bragin grabbed the nearest henchman's gun and shot Bucky in the leg before grabbing the smaller man by the shoulder and slamming him around, face first, into the doors of the lift. Bucky grunted in pain, both from the shock of the gun and from being slammed into the wall.   
"Black Widow has escaped, and I think you had something to do with it," Bragin said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "What are you doing here?"   
"Bringing you the Black Widow," Bucky replied. "It's not my fault if you lost her."   
Bragin punched Bucky in the ribs. "Want to try your answer again?"   
"Bringing you the ... AHH!" Bucky yelled, more in surprise, than pain as Bragin punched him on his other side. He gritted his teeth and frowned. He wanted to round on Bragin and fight him, but with so many henchmens' weapons trained on him, he didn't think it it was a good idea. Those bolts hurt like hell.   
"Are you sure, Barnes?"   
Bucky didn't reply. It was just going to cause more of a violent reaction from Bragin.   
"Let's go and find your girl, then, Barnes. Then, I'm going to make you stand and watch while we slowly take her apart, and make her into what she was always intended to be." In a testament to his strength, Bragin twisted Bucky's cybernetic arm up behind his back and pulled him away from the wall. "You play up, and I'll shoot you in the head." 

***  
Clint grinned. "Let's go and find some more. Which way is out, do you think?"

"Let's see what we find on the way to the lift," she suggested. Natasha led the way towards the elevator they once used, silently concerned about Bucky. As they got closer, they heard the litany of voices coming closer. She looked to Clint, wary.

Clint nodded. He selected a flash-bang arrowhead from his quiver and nocked the arrow to his bow. The voices seemed to be just around the upcoming intersection of the corridors. He signalled Natasha what the arrowhead was, fired it into the wall and closed his eyes against the bright light.

She gave him a nod to let him know she understood. Bright light flooded the room. It made Natasha wish she had her full kit. She could certainly use her bites or at least her own flash-bang discs. There were loud shouts of disorientation. As the light dimmed, they had the advantage to go in while they reoriented themselves. She gave another nod to Clint and led the way.

Bucky closed his eyes on instinct as he saw the arrow embed itself into the wall. Barton would not have shot at the wall if he didn't have some trick up his sleeve, and no-one else was likely to be shooting with a bow on the base. He heard the flash bang go off, and tried to wrench himself free of Bragin's grip, but the large man held on tight; he'd also put two and two together when he saw the arrow and had closed his eyes. 

Clint followed her in. The henchmen were all off guard and easy to take out. It wasn't until he'd added another half dozen to his tally, that he noticed Bragin standing in the middle of the corridor,  still with his full capacity and holding onto a struggling Barnes. 

Natasha began systematically taking down the goons. They went down easily, and Clint helped her take the ones that she didn't get to. Her attention was drawn to Bragin who held Bucky's arm. Without hesitating, she shot her gun as she took aim at Bragin. If she had her bites, she would've gone in close quarters more confidently, using his weight against him. She was smaller, faster and more limber, and she would've stood a better chance to take him down. If he didn't go down with her gun, she'd be forced to go in anyway.

Bucky kept struggling, and the movement cause Nat's shot to go wide, but he wasn't really trying to get free, he was trying to get the Bites out of his pocket to throw them to her. He succeeded before Bragin realized what he was doing and lobbed them awkwardly to Natasha. They'd taken him down together before. They could do it again. 

Relieved, she caught the Bites. Natasha placed them on without missing a beat and activated them. It was like working in tandem with Bucky all over again all those years ago. Her Bites lit up a cool blue, and she took a running jump at Bragin. Her body swung nimbly around him until she was on his back. Her wrists came down hard on his neck, shocking him harshly.

Bragin let Bucky go as Natasha leaped onto his back. He yelled in pain as the bites connected with his neck, but managed to stay on his feet. He reached blindly behind him for his attacker and managed to get a hold on her hair.   
Bucky joined in the attack, but while the larger man grunted in pain, he took the hits and focussed on pulling Natasha over his head by her hair.   
Clint dropped the last of the goons and  drew a taser tipped arrow, holding it ready to fire if Tash and Barnes needed help.   
￼

She gritted her teeth when Bragin's fingers laced through her hair, tugging painfully. She could feel several strands rip from her scalp at the force. Natasha hit him with the bites again, but when he managed to remain standing, she slipped the garrote from her wrists and began pulling it hard around his neck to subdue him. No matter how much it hurt, she leaned back away from his shoulder to get the right force and pressure.

Clint saw them both struggling with the fight and smoothly drew and aimed his shot. He could apologise to them later for taking out their target. "Barnes, Drop."   
Bucky didn't hesitate, and Clint's arrow landed in Bragin's chest, shocking the man to his knees. 

Natasha smoothly leaped off Bragin as he went down to the floor. She landed on her feet and grabbed Bucky by his arm to lead him to the flat. "Let's get out of here," she said quickly.

Bucky nodded rolling his left shoulder a little. The cybernetic arm might not feel pain directly, but that just meant it was concentrated into his shoulder. He followed Natasha to the lift.   
Clint brought up the rear, keeping an eye and ear out for any other HYDRA personnel. 

After pressing the button, it took a few moments for the doors to slide open. She immediately herded them all on once they did. Natasha was antsy, and she was ready to flood the place. "Charges are set up?" she asked Bucky.

"Half of them are scattered. I ran out of time to set the others. Let's hope they work just as well if they're clustered," Bucky replied. "Are you ok? They didn't...?"

"I'm fine. Clint and I took care of things," she reassured him. Natasha was aching still, and she knew that there would be a few bloody spots along her scalp. They were close to finishing this op at least. The adrenaline pumping through her veins helped her ignore the pain.

"We're not out of here yet," Clint said. "And Guskov's still unaccounted for." Clint readied an arrow as the lift slid to a stop at the top of the shaft and they waited for the doors to open. 

"If we see Guskov, he's mind," Natasha told the two of them, her voice deadly. The doors slid open, and she readied her gun. They weren't immediately assaulted which put her on edge.

"They like doing this, don't they?" Bucky asked. 

"It's getting old," Natasha growled out. She took a step out of the elevator, and immediately sighted a few goons to her right. With a cold ferocity, she began taking them out.

Bucky stepped out and covered her attacks.   
Clint left the lift last and turned the other way. There was no way HYDRA would only attack them from one direction. He walked down the corridor to the next corner and flattened himself against the wall as a barrage of blue bolts hit the wall. He ran back towards the others. "There's more coming from the other way."

Unflinchingly, Natasha pressed forward. She was determined to get them all out of there, and she was ready to see the base blown and flooded. She attacked the oncoming agents with a cold fury. "How many more, Hawkeye?" she called to him as she took down a few more goons.

Clint smoothly drew two arrows and fired towards the oncoming henchmen. "I didn't get an accurate count. Too busy dodging their blasts." The full squad appeared around the corner and Clint ran a quick count. "Twenty, or so." 

"Twenty. We can do twenty," she said smoothly, a dangerous smile on her face. Natasha jumped into the fray and unleashed all her anger and frustration at HYDRA upon them. "Bet I'll beat your count this time too."

"Mmm," Clint said non-commitally. "Bragin was big enough to count as three, though." He loosed arrows in quick succession, trying to keep a tally of how many should be left in his quiver.  
"Sure he can count as three," Bucky said. "But it took all three of us to bring him down."

"I'm still ahead of both of you," she snorted as she knocked a goon unconscious. Her first charged into another one to deliver a bite.

"Really?"Clint asked, landing an arrow in the last goon. "Twenty-three."

"Twenty-four," she grinned triumphantly. Natasha gave him a smirk. Once it was clear, she hurriedly began leading them towards the exit.

Clint and Bucky followed Natasha towards the exit. When they entered the final corridor to the external door, Several dozen HYDRA goons poured out of the rooms leading off the corridor and surrounding them. Clint ran a quick tally. Someone had a sense of humor, and had obviously been watching their escape. There were exactly two goons for all of the ones they had taken down prior to this. It would be a challenge, but it wasn't impossible. Clint pressed the control on his bow and selected an explosive arrowhead.   
Bucky faced towards the direction they'd been running from, and growled when he saw Guskov approaching them through the ranks of henchmen.  
￼

An exasperated growled escaped her at the new wave of goons they would have to get through. The scowl on her face deepened when she saw Guskov approaching them. Natasha glared, ready to take him on. Bucky and Clint flanked her, tense and ready.

"I am disappointed," Guskov said. "Barnes, you went back on your word, /and/ you lied to us. And Natalia, you could be so much more than you are if you worked for us." 

"I'd rather be myself, thank you," she replied smoothly. Natasha valued her own agency much more than anything else. Her hand gripped the scalpel, flexing her wrist.

Guskov smiled and nodded. "We feared as much, but it won't affect our plans. Kill Barnes and Barton. Bring me the Black Widow, /alive/ when you're done." Guskov turned on his heel and began to walk off.   
Clint and Bucky tensed as the goons readied their weapons. Without waiting for the goons to attack, Clint shot his arrow into the throng of henchmen and pressed the second button on his bow's riser to detonate it. There was no sense in letting the goons have the first shot. 

Natasha wasn't going to let Guskov get out of this alive. She fought through the throng of henchmen, taking them down with her gun and bites. She was quickly losing sight of her mark which caused her to fight more furiously to get to him.

Clint and Bucky fought for their lives. Thankfully, the henchmen weren't that smart, and hey we're able to hold their own, fighting back to back. The quarters were too close for much shooting, so they had to resort to hand-to-hand techniques. Bucky caught himself thinking that fighting alongside Barton was very easy and familiar, and wondered exactly how much time Nat had spent training Barton.   
As the throng of henchmen began to dissipate, both men looked around for Natasha. Hated lost track of her in the skirmish. 

Once Guskov was clear of the throng of henchmen, he ran. He knew Black Widow was following him, and he needed to separate her from the others. He'd found the unconscious Bragin in the corridor near the lift and had revived him enough that the large man should be able to grab and hold onto Natalia. 

Natasha darted after Guskov, vegeneance fueling her. She knew she was putting a lot of distance between herself and her partners, but she couldn't let him get away. When Bragin got to his feet, Natasha stopped short and eyed him warily.

"Scared of him, are you?" Guskov asked. He was standing behind Bragin, looking very chuffed.


	22. Chapter 22

Clint and Bucky finished fighting off the henchmen and looked around for Natasha. She'd disappeared. Without a word, they ran back down the corridor, looking for her.

"You certainly can talk big when you've got your guard dog in front of you," Natasha retorted flatly. She kept her eyes on Bragin. It was dangerous taking him on by herself. She was a close quarters fighter, and it was almost a death wish to engage him that close alone.

Bragin was still woozy from being knocked unconscious by Clint's taser arrow, but he growled as she called him a guard dog. He hated when people made that assumption. "I'm not his guard dog," he said, his voice slurring slightly. He took an unsteady step towards Natasha.

He was still dazed from Clint's arrow. She could use that to her advantage. Natasha continued to egg him on, making him sloppy with his emotions. "You're nothing but a big dumb brute, Bragin. You're his little pitbull he keeps on a leash to keep him safe," she taunted.

Bragin couldn't find the words to put together, so he just growled.   
Guskov's confidence wavered slightly. He could see Bragin wasn't at his best, and that Natalia was egging him on. "Just grab her, Bragin," he commanded. "She's weaker than you are."

"Look at him. Ordering you around. You really are nothing but his pet," Natasha smirked. She knew that he would lunge for him soon, and she was tense and ready to dodge his grasp.

Guskov sneered. "You were never any good at following orders. That was why you were always controlled, Natalia. You're a tool; useless without someone controlling you."  
Bragin was becoming steadier on his feet as he approached Natasha. He lunged for her, aiming to grab her arm. 

Clint and Bucky ran around the corner and saw Bragin lunge at Natasha. "Tash! Duck!" Clint shouted, ready to loose an arrow as soon as she was out of the way.  

Natasha was prepared to roll out of his reach, but she felt relief when she heard Clint call to her. Without hesitating, she ducked and did a backwards roll. Guskov took a step back, noting how much more dangerous things were now that Hawkeye and Winter Soldier had come to assist her.

Clint loosed his arrow as soon as she was out of the way and watched as it impacted and the tip shattered. Acid sprayed over Bragin's chest and the man dropped, screaming. Clint disliked using the acid tips directly on people, but it was the last of his trick arrows, and he didn't think a normal broadhead would cut it.   
Bucky ran straight past Bragin and tackled Guskov before he could run away. 

While Bragin was down, Natasha went to Bucky's assistance. She had her gun ready and charged. "Off him, Soldier," she said coolly. "I'll finish him off."

Bucky stood, dragging Guskov to his feet. He pushed Guskov towards Natasha, and the scientist stumbled and fell to the ground at her feet.   
"Please, Natalia..." Guskov pleaded. 

"Weren't you the one who drove it into our skulls to never show mercy?" she raised her brow at him, pointing her gun. She looked over at Bucky with a wry look.

Guskov sputtered and looked between the pair of them. The Red Room and KGB's prized agents, simply because of the training and conditioning that he had helped provide.   
"You're... You're your own people now. Have you not found any mercy in your hearts? You, Natalia, you're an Avenger... Doesn't that make you one of the good guys?"

Natasha gave him a smile, cold and deadly. There was no mercy in her flinty gaze. "Whether I am or not doesn't matter. I refuse to let you continue using people," she said evenly before pulling the trigger.

Neither Bucky nor Clint flinched at the sound of the gunshot.   
"Time to get out of here. Again," Clint said. He wrinkled his nose slightly at the smell of the acid reacting with Bragin's flesh. 

Natasha got Guskov square in the forehead. Once he was done, she turned to Clint and Bucky with an impassive expression. "Permanently this time. Once we're far enough away, we'll blow the place."

When they were out of the base and away from the Insitute's buildings, Bucky removed the detonator from his pocket and held it out to Natasha. "Do you want the honors?"

"I already took out Guskov. I'll give you this one," she said with a one shouldered shrug.

Bucky nodded and pushed the button without hesitation. There was a soft rumble, and the surface of the lake became turbulent as the water raced into the base. And then settled at a lower level.   
"Time to get out of here and organize an extraction," Clint said. 

They found a car and broke into it easily. Clint handed his phone to Natasha as he got into the driver's seat. "You want to call Coulson?" 

Natasha slid into the passenger's seat and immediately punched in Coulson's number. Their handler answered the phone alert and ready. "The mission is complete. Requesting extraction." There was a calm relief in her voice, and she was ready to get out of her motherland. She could tell that Coulson was just as relieved they managed not to get themselves into anymore trouble.

"A jet will be waiting at the  Myachkvo Airfield," Coulson replied. 

"See you soon," she told him after giving her thanks. Natasha directed Clint where to go, and she let out a sigh of relief. She sagged against her seat, reaching into her pocket to grip the ring box. Looking to the two of them, she observed if there was any damage. "You two okay?"

Clint nodded. "A few tingly spots from their weapons, but nothing unbearable. Barnes?"   
"Yeah, I'm fine," Bucky replied, though he sounded a little uncertain. Now that everything was over and done with HYDRA, he wanted time to sort out where he wanted to be and what he wanted to do, and he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to go into SHIELD. 

The uncertainty didn't go amiss by Natasha. She knew him too well for that, even now. Turning in her seat, she looked at him. Her gaze traveled over his form and softened. "I know our directive was to bring you in, but if you want to take off while we're looking the other way, I won't argue," she said gently.

Bucky couldn't hide his surprise. "Won't that get you into trouble?"   
Clint glanced at Bucky in the rear view mirror. "Coulson will understand. There's no point in having an operative that doesn't want to be here," he said. He grinned slightly. "We can just tell him we made another call." 

Natasha smiled over at Clint, affectionate. "You really helped us out, Bucky. If you don't feel comfortable coming with us to SHIELD then we're not going to force you. Just know you're always welcome."

"It's not that I don't feel comfortable... I just don't know what will be there for me." He looked out the window. "Then there's Steve..."  
"Where do you want to be dropped, Barnes?" Clint asked.   
Bucky was surprised they were both so relaxed about letting him walk. "Are you guys sure?" 

"Steve would love to see you again, I'm sure. It's been hard on him, the transition," she offered up to him. Natasha would be sad to see him go. Bucky was such a big part of her life, and she was glad to know that he was alive. At least she could part with that knowledge.

Bucky nodded. "Just leave me with the car when you get to the airport. I'll find my own way."  
"Can do," Clint said. 

"Keep in touch? So I know you're not dead?" Natasha requested tentatively. 

"I will," Bucky replied. "Tell Steve I'm sorry. I just need some time to figure myself out."

She nodded in understanding. She wished that she could help more, but she sensed this was something he needed to do. "You know where to find us."

Clint pulled into the carpark at the airport and got out of the car, leaving the engine running. Bucky climbed out of the back seat and walked around to Clint. "Thanks and look after her. If I hear something's gone wrong, I'll find you."  
Clint smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less."  
Bucky turned to face Natasha.

Natasha moved to get out of the car to say goodbye to him properly. She snorted a little at Bucky's threat to Clint. When he turned to face him, she gave him a soft, genuine smile. "It was good seeing you again. Even better working alongside with you."

Bucky hugged her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll keep in touch," he promised. "And I'll let you know how to find me once I've sorted myself out. Don't let Barton talk you into anything stupid."  
"Take the phone," Clint said. "It'll have all the contact details you'll need for SHIELD and that way we'll know it's you calling."  
Bucky nodded. "Just don't track me with it." He got into the driver's seat,  adjusted the seat and the mirrors and drove off with a wave.

Natasha hugged him back, relishing the affection. Quietly, she gave him a nod and a smile to his words. He took the phone Clint offered him before he told them goodbye. As he drove off, Natasha watched them go before she turned to Clint. "Thank you," she murmured. "For hanging through all of this."

"You don't need to thank me," Clint said. "I'll always be here for you. Now, can we get on the jet? I feel like a target standing around here in this." He pointed at the HYDRA uniform he was still wearing. He put an arm around her shoulders and started to walk towards the jet.

She smiled, warm and genuine, just for him. They made their way into the jet, and she felt the fatigue finally weigh in on her. At least they were finally going home.

Clint waved to the pilot and co-pilot as  they got on (he'd seen them stiffen slightly as Black Widow walked onto the jet apparently accompanied by a HYDRA goon) and took a seat in the back. He was glad Coulson had thought to send a jet, rather than have them fly themselves. He was tired.

She took a seat next to Clint, leaning on him slightly. Natasha strapped herself into the seat and sighed. "Better get some sleep now. They'll want to debrief us the moment we walk through the door," she said softly.

"Ugh, I hate debriefings," Clint muttered. He resisted the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders again - they didn't need the pilots to see it, and ask questions before they'd sorted out how to handle things - and rested his head on hers as she leaned on his shoulder. He was asleep before they reached maximum altitude. 

Natasha slept through the whole flight. She didn't wake fully until the pilot announced they were making the final descent. Sitting up, she felt stiffness in her muscles from her sleeping position and all the combat. She stretched a little as she tried to shake off the last vestiges of sleep.

Clint woke as Natasha started moving, put one arm around her and tried to go back to sleep. "Jus' five more minutes," he mumbled. 

She was more alert than he was. While she would've loved to be pressed to him and sleep more, the pilots were still there. Natasha carefully and gently pulled his arm off of her. "We're almost home, Hawk," she murmured to him.

Clint opened his eyes blearily and blinked a couple of times. He shook himself and rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the last vestiges of sleep from his head. They'd be straight into debrief when they touched down, and he had trouble staying awake through them t the best of times. 

The jet landed finally. The pilot performed the last tasks before they were finally ready to get off. Natasha unbuckled her straps and stood up. Her legs protested the stretched, but it was a good kind of burn. When they got stepped off, Coulson was already waiting do them.

Clint stretched as he stood up and kept stretching as he walked off the jet behind Natasha. "Hi, Phil," he said when he saw their handler. He swore he saw a look of surprise cross Coulson's face as the agent took in Clint's current outfit, and simply grinned.

"Don't tell me you've switched sides, Agent Barton," Coulson said dryly though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. He looked beyond them, expecting a third person. Concerned, he looked at his agents. "Where's Barnes?"

Clint felt his stomach drop slightly at the memories of the conditioning, but brushed hem away. Coulson wouldn't know about that yet. "He wasn't comfortable returning. We made a different call."

Coulson was silent as he absorbed this bit of information. Finally, he nodded. "Fury won't be too happy with you," he said with a shrug. Natasha smirked a little, relieved they weren't getting more of a reprimand. He led them to one of the conference rooms for debriefing.

Clint sat down in the closest chair to the door. "What does Fury want with Barnes, anyway?" he asked. 

Natasha took the seat next to Clint, still feeling the stiffness in her muscles. Coulson sat down and observed the two thoughtfully. "Observation mostly. Obviously he has connections to two of our own," he replied. "Think he wanted to see if we could recruit."

Clint stretched a little. Coulson was looking like he was assessing them for something. Clint looked at Natasha. "You know him best, Tash. Do you want to explain?" 

"Bucky needs to find himself right now. He's just shaken off his conditioning," she replied with a little shrug. "I think we should give him time to figure out who he is in this new world before we purse him."

Coulson nodded. "Let's get down to this, then."  
They related the mission back to Coulson as per procedure and Coulson took notes. When Clint got to his capture and conditioning, Coulson stopped taking notes. When Clint looked at him curiously, Coulson replied, "Clint, the Council already dislikes you for bringing Black Widow in, and mistrusts you for being under Loki's control. They don't need more fodder to kick you out with. As long as Romanov's confident you're you, I'm not going to write it down, and -you- won't have to go through re-instatement." Coulson looked at Natasha. 

"I brought him back. I fixed him," Natasha said confidently as they related their op. She knew how the Council was, and she didn't want them anywhere near Clint or doubting him. Coulson took her word as he continued to write down their mission details. "I made sure that the doctor broke the conditioning completely," she continued. "He's him."

"And did they get a chance to do anything to you?" Coulson asked. 

"No," she shook her head, and there was relief on her face that they hadn't gotten to recondition her. "They wanted to. They wanted to brainwash Clint and and I just enough so that we could return to SHIELD as moles."

Coulson nodded and added that as a note. "Anything else? It seems an awful lot of effort to go through just to place a mole or two in our ranks. Especially since I'm pretty sure we've got several already floating around."

"They wanted Black Widow and Hawkeye on their side. We'd be great assets to them. Not only would we give them an in to SHIELD, but to the Avengers as well," she pointed out.

Coulson gave his famous non-committal smile and continued filling out the debrief form. An hour later, they were done, and he put the pen down and closed the file. "I'm recommending both of you take some downtime. Couple of weeks, go somewhere else and try not to get into trouble."

"I'll make sure Barton doesn't get into any trouble," she said dryly. Natasha stood up once he dismissed them, and when she glanced over next to her, she saw her partner dozing lightly. Gently, she poked him to rouse him from his nap.

"What?" Clint jumped slightly as he was poked. He rubbed his eyes blearily and managed to look sheepish. "Did I doze off?"

"Come on, Clint. Let's go get some sleep. In actual beds this time," she said as she gave Coulson a nod before ushering Clint out of there.

Clint allowed himself to be ushered to his quarters. Now that he was actually back at base and felt safe, he realised how much of a toll the three back to back missions had taken on him. They'd just reached the door of his room when he heard a voice call out, "Clint! I heard you were back!" Mockingbird waved from the end of the corridor. 

Natasha's first instinct was to stiffen, and there was a rush of familiar jealousy rise through her. She stamped it down because she knew that it would be hypocritical of her. After all, they'd just spent this whole op dealing with her past lover. She'd planned to sneak into Clint's room to get some sleep with him, but at Bobbi's appearance she politely stepped aside. She offered Mockingbird a polite smile.

Bobbi saw Black Widow stiffen slightly and was curious. Had she done something to annoy the other woman?  
"Green looks good on you. Everything went well?" she asked. "I couldn't believe they sent you out again so soon after our mission. Do you want to catch up over a drink or two?"  
Clint managed a smile before faking a yawn. "Yeah, we got through it," he replied. "But I'm dead tired." He was aware of Natasha's tension, and remembered their discussion from before the mission all too well. "I'll have to take a raincheck on the offer of drinks."

For a moment, Natasha thought Bobbi's remark about green being a good color was directed at her, and it made her quickly school her expression to be impassive. It took her a beat to realize she was talking to Clint. She stood there awkwardly as the two of them spoke. She wondered whether or not she should head to her own room and just decompress with Clint later. Silently, she took a step back as they talked about plans.

"Oh, ok. I'll catch you later, then," Bobbi said, and walked off down the corridor.   
Clint noticed that Natasha had taken step back. "Where're you going?" he asked.

"I--I wasn't sure," she stumbled over her words as she stood there awkwardly still. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to stay."

Clint smiled. "Don't be silly," he said. He ran a hand through his hair, realizing that agreeing  so quickly to what could be counted as a date with Bobbi was incredibly undiplomatic. "Sorry. I just thought it would be a quicker way to get her to leave." He checked that the corridor was empty before holding out a hand to Natasha. 

When he extended a hand out for him to take, Natasha didn't hesitate to slip her hand into it. She gave him a gentle squeeze and smiled. "It's okay, you know," she said quietly, trying to remain fair. "If you want to go get drinks with her."

Clint opened the door to his room and stepped inside. "Thank you for your permission to have a drink with a friend," he teased, and made sure he was grinning enough that she knew it. "You can speak your mind about it, you know. You don't need to be so... diplomatic."

Natasha rolled her eyes at him as they stepped into her room, but he was grinning at her so it was hard to stay cross at him. "I just don't want to be that crazy. . ," she trailed off, not sure what title to use for herself. They didn't have titles for one another, hadn't gotten that far in discussing it. "I'm jealous, yes, but I don't want to keep you from doing anything you want to do. Even if Bobbi does take a shine to you."

Clint started to remove the HYDRA uniform. "Tash, I've been sharing drinks with you as a friend since I brought you in. Nothing will come of it, I promise." Clint realised what he had just said and stopped midway through pulling the top over his head. "That came out wrong. I didn't mean..." He pulled the top all the way off. "I was serious about what I said before we left. And thinking of you, and what you mean to me was what pulled me through all the ness of the past week."

Natasha began to remove her gear, placing them neatly in a pile. Her hand went to her pocket where she retrieved the ring box as he spoke. She stared at it silently before she looked up at him. "Are we going to talk about this?" she asked as she held the ring box between them.

"Your words were 'on a white sand beach with a bottle of good vodka'," Clint replied, grinning. "And with two weeks break, I might just hold you to that." He noticed her expression and softened his resolve. "But if you want to talk now..."  

"I don't want to push you," she said quickly. Natasha wanted to so badly to know, but she could see the fatigue on his face. "But if you want to take me to a white stand beach then I guess I can wait."

Clint smiled. He could tell her curiosity was getting the better of her. He reached out and took the ring box off her, sat down on the couch and opened the box to stare at the ring. "I'll take you to a white sand beach, anyway, but I can tell you now." 

She watched him in painful anticipation. Natasha moved to sit next to him, staring at the beautiful ring he had made just for her. "It's really beautiful," she murmured, leaning against him.

"Thanks. Remember that downtime we had in Istanbul. About six years ago?" He asked. "I found the stones in the Grand Bazaar. They just reminded me of you. The guy tried to convince me to set them in earrings, but I thought they'd be more fun as a ring. Aside from the stones, it should be pretty indestructible.  The metals thhe same alloy as Stark's suit."

"Are you. . .are you asking me something with this ring?" she asked tentatively. Gently, she pulled the ring from the box and turned it around in her fingers. Even in the low light of his room, the jewels glittered brightly and beautifully.

Clint opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. "Not originally, no," he finally said quietly. "It was meant to be a birthday present, but then there was that whole discussion with Jan and Maria about the meaning of jewelry gifts and I, well, chickened out of giving it to you." He stared at his hands and sighed. "Think it was about the first time I chickened out of anything in my life." He watched her spin the ring in her fingers. "The... The question that usually sits with the gift of a ring..." He looked at her beseechingly, not really sure how she would react. "I've carried that thug around in my kit bag for five years. Almost gave it to you after New York. But when it seemed like things were settling down to normal, I backed out again." He felt like he was babbling. How the heck was he /meant/ to ask a question like the one hanging on the tip of his tongue to the Black Widow? What if she said no? What if it ruined their friendship by him even asking? 

Natasha listened to his explanation in silence. She couldn't believe had this with him all this time, just burning a hole in his kit. Did he hesitate on asking her because she would say no or because he wasn't sure if he wanted to make that kind of commitment to her? She was the Black Widow, deadly and dangerous. She intimidated her share of men, but she had needs and desires like any woman. Marriage wasn't something that had ever crossed her mind, but if there was anyone she wanted to take that leap with, she knew it was him. There wasn't anyone she trusted more to do that with. Almost shyly, she looked over at him before quickly looking back to the ring. "Are you asking now?" she asked him quietly.

Clint's eyebrows lifted in surprise at her sudden shyness. Did she /want/ him to ask? His heart was racing slightly out of nerves. /Don't be an idiot, Barton. She knows about the ring already. Just ask,/ he told himself. He gently took the ring off her and stood up, using the time to think about what he would say. 

He pulled the ring from her fingers and stood. His back was turned to her, and Natasha immediately took it as a sign that he wasn't asking. She quickly backpedaled to make things less uncomfortable and awkward between them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries or anything," she told him, moving to join him in standing. "I didn't mean to pressure you or anything. We're both just tired from the op."

Clint turned around to face her, and looked surprised. "No, no, no... Tash, it's not that," he said. He saw she was standing and swallowed nervously before kneeling in front of her. "Tash. Natasha... would you...would you do me the honor..." He knew he was stuttering, but his nerves were getting the better of him. He took a deep breath before continuing. Were husband and wife even the right words for what they were to each other? "Will  you accept this ring as a token of what you mean to me? And take me as your partner?" He looked up at her nervously. 

Natasha was still babbling words of apology, and she didn't stop until he dropped down to one knee with the ring in hand. The sight took her breath away as she stared at him, awestruck. She waited for him to finish speaking, her mind trying to catch up and process that this was really happening. She swallowed thickly, and she found that her usually steady hands were trembling slightly. A smile broke across her features and she wrapped her hands around his. "You've always been my partner, Clint," she murmured softly. "But if you really want me. . . in that way, I would be so happy."

Clint's face broke into a smile, a genuinely happy smile that bore not trace of his usual teasing grin. He extracted his hands from hers and took her left hand, carefully placing the ring on her finger. He stood up and hugged her fiercely, swinging her around him, before putting her down and kissing her. "I think I have always wanted you in that way," he said as they broke the kiss. 

She laughed, almost a giggle, when he swung her around, and she clutched on to him. Natasha brought her left hand closer to her to examine the way the ring looked on her finger for the first time, and she admired the look and feel. He kissed her deeply, and she returned it, deliriously happy. "In what way?" she teased playfully.

"As more than just a partner on the job," he said. "I've never trusted anyone with so much."

She cradled his face gently, thumb brushing along his cheek. "I love you, Clint," she murmured to him. "And I trust you more than I could ever say. I'd love to be your partner and your wife."

Clint smiled and kissed her again. 

"We're going to have to fill out a lot of paperwork," she said when she pulled away, grinning at him.

Clint groaned. "Anything but paperwork," he muttered, but he didn't really mean it. He was still too elated Natasha had agreed. 

She tugged him down onto his bed, laughing in delight. She was still breathless at the fact the wanted to be with her like this, to make this kind of commitment to her. "Do you. . .do you want to have an actual ceremony?" she asked him softly.

"Something quiet, with a few close friends," he said, letting her pull him down onto the bed. "Away from -any- media attention." Knowing their luck, the media would delight in the news that two of the Avengers were engaged. 

"I can see the headlines now," she rolled her eyes. Natasha smiled at the idea of a small, quiet ceremony with just their close friends. It made her excited. "Can you imagine me in a wedding dress?" she laughed.

Clint smiled softly and nodded. "Yes."

Moving to look at him, she gave him a soft smile. "Mrs. Natasha Barton?" she teased. "Or would you rather be Clint Romanoff?"

"We could hyphenate? Barton-Romaoff? Romanoff-Barton?" He teased back. 

"Too long," she wrinkled her nose. The domestic talk was relaxing, and it honestly made her happy. "But I don't think I mind being Mrs. Barton," she told him honestly.

Clint couldn't hide his smile. It made him happy. "Tash, you don't have to change it, you know." He caressed her cheek gently.

"I know," she told him gently, reassuringly. "But I think Barton will bring me much happier memories than Romanova or Romanoff ever did."

Clint kissed her again and hugged her fiercely against him. 

"Go to sleep, Clint. We have a lot of things to figure out when we wake up," she murmured softly, voice somewhat muffled along his chest.

"Don't say sleep, you'll make me ya..." His last word was interrupted by a yawn. 

Natasha's breathing was already deepening and leveling out. Her body was pliant and soft against him, trusting.

Clint smiled and draped an arm around her waist. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, snoring lightly.


End file.
